


The Life That Is Waiting For Us

by Willowbrooke



Category: Call Me By Your Name (2017), Call Me By Your Name (2017) RPF, Call Me By Your Name - All Media Types
Genre: Friendship, M/M, Mild Angst, POV Alternating, Romance, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, These Boys Both Really Like the 'F' Word...A LOT
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2019-06-29 10:43:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 59,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15727779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowbrooke/pseuds/Willowbrooke
Summary: "We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us."Joseph CampbellIt's the Fall of 2019.  Timmy is in New York, rehearsing a new play while Armie is in LA, working his way through an amicable divorce. The CMBYN sequel is scheduled to begin production late spring the following year.  Armie's divorce means that there will no longer be anything tangible standing between him and Timmy, but are they at a place in their lives where a relationship between them is something they both want and if so, how do they go about making it happen?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic in the CMBYN fandom and my first RPF. As such, I feel that I need to point out the obvious and say that I don't know these people and though my characters are based on the public personas that they share with us, in my mind, the characters in this story are just as fictional as Elio and Oliver. I love these guys and mean no disrespect to anyone. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!

**September, 2019**

Armie focuses on the drink in his hand, gently swirling the amber liquid around the ice cubes in the glass before bringing it up to his nose. He closes his eyes as he breathes in, savoring the somewhat delicate aroma of this truly excellent scotch. He takes a small sip, holding it in his mouth long enough to detect and appreciate the nuanced and complex flavor. It's incredibly smooth and the burn as it goes down is exquisite. He's had a number of good whiskys in his time, but this one is on a completely different level.

Comfortably kicked back on the sofa, bare feet on the coffee table, and mellow jazz playing softly in the background, he takes another sip, willing himself to relax as he tries to concentrate on pleasant things. Not surprisingly, what comes to mind first is 'that' summer. 

He takes a deep breath in, letting it out slowly. That _sensual Italian summer._ He smiles as he remembers the interview where he had come up with that wording and Timmy had laughed and copied his answer. _Timmy...Jesus._

Armie shakes his head to clear his mind of that particular memory as he mentally travels back further to that first day in Crema, which was also the day he met Tim. 

Luca had sent someone to meet him at the airport and drive him to Crema. He remembers as if it were yesterday how excited he had been to finally be there. He and Luca had embraced warmly and the two of them had talked animatedly for some time, but he was restless. He was anxious to meet his co-star. He'd done his homework and knew as much as he could about the kid, but they would have to be so in tune and so vulnerable with each other. The sooner they could connect, the better.

Luca had explained that Timothèe was in the middle of a piano lesson, but Armie couldn't wait. He convinced Luca to tell him where the lesson was taking place and he had practically run there. He heard voices and piano music as he arrived at the door. He knocked loudly and was given permission to enter.

He almost cringes now as he remembers how loud and over the top he had been. "Timothèe? Hey, I'm Armie." Timmy had stood with a big smile on his face and walked over to greet him.

"Armie, hey man, it's really great to meet you." They had done one of those bro-type handshake/hug things and had chatted for a few minutes, but it wasn't long before Timmy had gotten that look on his face that was now so familiar. The one that told Armie everything that was going through Timmy's mind at any particular moment. He'd said something like, "Look, maybe we can hang out in a bit, but I'm actually in the middle of this lesson right now." 

He laughs at the memory. They'd spent the rest of that day together and their instant bond and immediate friendship had been just the beginning of all of the things about that summer that had changed him so fundamentally. 

He resurfaces from the past long enough to reach for his drink, disappointed to find that it's pretty much gone. He briefly considers indulging in a second glass of the good stuff as he's barely touched the bottle, but he decides that it is far too exceptional for more than one at a time. Instead, he pours himself a generous amount of something more mundane. He's just gotten comfortable on the sofa again when his phone lights up with an incoming call. A huge smile spreads across his face as he notes the caller.

"Timmy Tim! Hey, I was just thinking about you." There are far too many reasons that this is true, but he shares the obvious one. "I've been enjoying a glass of that superb Balblair whisky you sent me for my birthday. Seriously, man, thank you for that. It's probably the best scotch I've ever had."

"Yeah?" Armie can hear the surprised joy in his voice. "I'm glad you're enjoying it. I was assured it was top shelf. And clearly I was thinking about you, 'cause I rang you." 

Armie smiles at Timmy's tease and his heart gives that little lurch it always does when he realizes just how fucking much he misses the guy on the other end of the line. "Rang me? Dude, I know we're talking about whisky, but are we still doing that whole British thing? Seriously, it was more than a year ago that you spent the summer pretending to be a king. It's time to face reality, my friend. You may have been royalty once, but you're just another lowly peasant like the rest of us now." 

Timmy chuckles. "Wow. Yeah, okay, that was harsh. So fine, I guess I can live without the trumpet fanfares announcing my arrival. And maybe you can skip calling me 'Your Majesty,' but you sure as fuck better still bow down in my presence."

Armie laughs out loud. "In your dreams, Chalamet. Get over yourself. Besides, you're the one that's always bowing down to everyone."

"Ha-ha. Fuck, yeah, you're right. But what can I say, man? I love yanking your chain. You're so much fun to wind up."

Armie laughs again and it feels good. Leave it to Timmy to lighten his mood. "Yeah, you're fuckin' hilarious."

He supposes it's because he'd just been thinking about that perfect summer in Crema before Tim called, but he suddenly can't joke about that other summer when they were separated by an ocean and too many hours of the day when one or the other was working or sleeping. "To be honest, T., what I remember most about that summer you were filming overseas and I was doing the play in New York is that the one time I was in your fucking city for the entire fucking summer, you were half way around the world."

There is a moment of silence, followed by a weighty, huffed out breath and Armie can picture exactly the expression on Timmy's face as he responds. "Yeah, I mean that film was such an incredible experience and I'm so grateful to have had that opportunity, but the timing totally sucked. I hated being so far away when you were here. At least I was able to get away for that weekend so that I could come see the play. Seriously, man, your performance was amazing and you absolutely deserved all the glowing reviews you got."

Armie smiles. "Thanks, T., I know you mean that, and I appreciate it a lot."

"I totally mean it. All the praise, man, truly. I was so fucking proud of you." There is a brief pause before he continues. "And now it feels like history's repeating itself because I'm the one stuck here rehearsing a play while you're there, dealing with some serious shit." Another short pause. "So, um...we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but I was wondering how things are going? I mean, I really don't want to bring up something you'd rather not discuss, but I can't help...fuck, Armie...it's just so hard not being able to be there for you right now, you know?"

Armie's heart lurches at the hint of pain he hears in Timmy's voice. "Aw, Tim, I do know, and I know you'd be here if you could. I appreciate your concern and support more than you know. We haven't really had much of a chance to talk about it, have we? And I'm sure you've got questions, so ask anything you want or need to know and I'll answer as honestly as I can, I promise."

There is another prolonged silence before Timmy responds. "Okay, well, I guess, my first question is, are you really okay right now? I mean, I know you've got Nick and Ash and your other friends, but Jesus, Armie, the end of an almost ten year marriage is huge and I'm so fucking sorry about it all, and I know I just said this, but it fucking sucks to be so far away when you're dealing with all of this shit."

The vehemence and sincerity behind Tim's words catches Armie off guard. His voice shakes a bit as he speaks. "Timmy, you're the best, you know that, right? I'm so blessed to have you in my life. But to answer your question, I'm doing okay, I think? Have I been better? Sure. But Liz and I are both adamant about putting the kids first and I really think that, for each of us, it's just such a relief to finally have a resolution, you know? We've been drifting apart and moving in different directions for so long without having a clue how we were going to fix it or sort it out. It's sad and it hurts like hell and there are regrets, and 'what ifs,' and far too many questions without answers, but in a way, it's just such a fucking relief. Is that weird? 

"I think that she and I have somehow managed to become closer than we've been for a while as we've worked through this. I'm really hopeful that we'll be able to come through it all as friends, because it's important to both of us and there's never been a question of how much we both love our kids and want what's best for them." He stops to take a breath. "Sorry, that was sort of long-winded, but I hope it answered your question?"

"Yeah, I mean, I'm glad to hear that you both seem to be on the same page about it all and that your top priority is the kids. You know how I feel about them and I guess that has to be my next question. Are they okay? Do they understand what's happening?"

Armie thinks about that for a minute before responding. "I'm not sure they understand, but I think they know and accept that I won't be living there any more. The place I'm renting is close by and I see them all the time. I'm grateful that I'm between projects at the moment because Elizabeth's as busy as ever and it means that I've got the kids more than she does right now. They seem fine to me, but we've been talking with some professionals, counselors and child psychologists, trying to get some advice and guidance on how to handle all of this with them. 

"I think it helps that they're still so young. Fuck, no kid should have to go through this, but for better or worse, it happens every day, and most kids come through it all just fine. If there's one thing we're united on, it's making it okay for them. What else?"

"Armz, you and the kids are what matter to me, so if you're telling me you are all okay, then I'm good. I mean, obviously, I care about Elizabeth too. Anyway, I don't need to know any more than that, but I won't lie, I'm gonna worry until I see for myself that you're all okay."

"I totally get that, T. I know I'd feel the same way if there was something going on with you. Maybe I can bring the kids for a short visit? I'd have to sort it with Liz, but I don't think she'd object."

"That'd be great, man, but you've got enough going on and who knows how much time I'd have to actually spend with you. But look...I just had a thought. Our director has a family wedding this coming Saturday and since things are going well, she's decided that instead of having someone else run rehearsals that day, she's cancelled them. If I could cut out just a bit early on Friday, I could get an early evening flight and I wouldn't have to be back here until Monday morning. We still have a week then before previews, so I don't think it'd be a problem." 

Armie tries to keep his voice from giving away the excitement he's feeling at the thought of seeing Timmy at the end of the week, but he's not sure how successful he is. "Well speaking for all three of us, I have to say that you'd be welcomed with open arms, but I don't want you to do anything that would put you in a bad position with your director and the rest of the cast." 

"Dude, you know I'm a professional and I'd never do that. But seriously, Margot's said several times how pleased she is with how things are going. If I thought it would in any way jeopardize the project, I wouldn't suggest it, but I'm feeling good about it all and I know that if she has concerns, she'll tell me. Let me talk to her and I'll get back to you tomorrow."

"Yeah, okay. And if it works out, you're staying here. No argument. I've got plenty of space, though you might have to share a room with Ford if I've got the kids."

"Hey, I've had roommates before and I'm pretty sure he's not gonna stumble in drunk in the middle of the night, so we should be good."

It's been a while since Armie has laughed like this. "No, I don't think that's going to be an issue, but after being asked to read 'Where the Wild Things Are' for the hundredth time in order to get him to sleep, you may wish that _you_ were the one drunk, or high, or both."

Timmy laughs again. "Hey, man, it's a classic. And since I rarely get to see them these days, it's a price I'm more than willing to pay."

Armie smiles. "Yeah, life with kids is never dull, but I wouldn't trade it for anything and they miss you too. Honestly, Tim, if this weekend doesn't work out, we'll come see you as soon as possible." He pauses as he takes a deep breath. "The kids may miss you, but I'm pretty fuckin' sure that they don't miss you anywhere near as much as I do."

Armie hears a deep sigh before Timmy says, "Ditto, brother. Have I mentioned lately how much I hate that we seem to spend most of our time in different parts of the world these days?"

"Well whether you've mentioned it or not, the feeling is very mutual."

They talk a while longer; about Timmy's play and about a couple of potential projects Armie is considering, as well as briefly touching on the upcoming sequel that Luca is currently planning to start filming in the spring. They are both somewhat hesitant to talk too much about it yet. From Armie's point of view, he doesn't want to jinx it or set out any unrealistic expectations. He's pretty sure that Timmy feels the same.

After Armie hears Tim yawn for the third time, he looks at his watch and reluctantly interjects, "Dude, it's late there and you clearly need to sleep. Let me know about the weekend, but honestly, no worries if it doesn't come together. One way or another, we'll see each other soon."

"Yeah, that's definitely gonna happen, but the more I think about it, the more I think this weekend might work out. I'll let you know in the morning once I talk to Margot."

"Okay. I'll probably go for a run in the morning, so if I don't pick up, leave me a message or a text, okay? Now, go sleep. Thanks for calling, T., seriously. Your timing couldn't have been better and you always put a smile on my face."

"Yeah? I'm glad. If we don't connect in the morning, I'll text you. Okay, talk to you later, man. Peace and love."

"Yeah. See you, motherfucker." As the call disconnects, the last thing Armie hears is Timmy's answering laughter, which is exactly the response he had hoped to elicit with his sign off. Timmy's laugh never fails to make him smile and lift his mood. 

Armie laughs too as he tosses the phone onto the table beside him and picks up his drink. His mood has done a complete one-eighty since his phone had rung. _Before Timmy and after Timmy._ Fuck, if that wasn't a major truth in his life, he didn't know what was. He takes a large swig of his drink before settling back down on the sofa, allowing his mind to return once more to that summer. 

_Before Crema and after Crema._ Where did one even begin to sum up an experience as life-altering as that summer had been? God knows he's spent enough time trying to come up with the words to explain it, but whatever clichéd metaphor a person wanted to use about a missing piece of your life finally slotting into place, or about finding your true self, or however else you might try express it - the end result was the same. He was, in every way that mattered, a different man today than the one who had stepped off that plane in Italy three summers ago. 

Everything about that film shoot had been so unlike any he'd ever experienced. Getting the actors there early, immersing them in Italian culture, as well as providing them with time and a comfortable environment in which to bond, had been nothing short of genius on Luca's part. He knows he'll never have that again, even with the upcoming sequel, and it was one of the reasons why, when it was over, it was so fucking hard to let go of it.

Even now, it's hard to think about all of the goodbyes he'd had to get through at the end of filming that summer - including the ones that should have been the easiest. Whether it was someone in town he had become friendly with, or a member of the extended cast and crew. Each and every person that summer had contributing to the overall experience. 

Then there were the goodbyes to the people he had been closer too. It had felt as though, with each goodbye, he was letting go of a newly discovered part of himself that he had no idea how to hold onto back in the real world.

And Luca? Well, that complex relationship was one best left for thought on another night and while there was no doubt that the man had been hugely instrumental in the changes that Armie had experienced that summer, there was so much more to it. 

There was Italy itself, for one thing. That country had ensnared him as solidly as the filming experience had with its incredible scenery and architecture, its beautiful, romantic language, meals that lasted for hours, and a people who believed in living life passionately. The tastes, the sounds, the smells - he could almost imagine himself in the piazzetta in Crema, enjoying espressos with Timmy as they talked and laughed.

And, of course, there was Timmy. His mind suddenly flooded with moments they had shared that summer. Many of the best ones were the simplest - quiet times when they had explored the countryside together or shared meals, movies, or just space, when no words were needed to feel at peace. Not unlike Elio and Oliver. But there had also been countless lively discussions on a variety of topics, a shit-load of teasing and mutual piss-taking, and above all, an abundance of laughter. They simply enjoyed being with each other.

He had never tried to deny to himself that his relationship with Tim had been a major reason for the upheaval he had experienced and the things he had learned about himself that summer. That instant connection and friendship, and the extraordinary bond that had developed between them. Armie had accepted almost from the beginning that the feelings he had for Timmy were certainly more than platonic, and though that had scared the shit out of him, it had also been such a gift. "My Summer Romance' come to life. 

Acting on those feelings, however, was something he had determined not to do. And he'd almost managed it. He could blame it on too much wine that night or the weed on top of that. Or the fact that, with only a few days remaining on the shoot, he had been seized by a panic at the thought of their idyllic time together coming to an end. Whatever the reason, he had been weak and given into desire and he'd come dangerously close to crossing a personal and moral line. He'd thought about that night hundreds of times since, often wondering what would have happened if Tim hadn't stopped it.

He was far from perfect, but he had always thought of himself as a decent and honorable man. Not only would he have betrayed and hurt Elizabeth, but he would have hurt Timmy as well, and the truth was that the thought of hurting Timmy was every bit as painful as hurting the woman he had pledged his life to. He and Tim had managed to move beyond it and had parted as friends, but saying goodbye at the end of that shoot had been gut-wrenching. 

Once back in LA, he'd tried to put Italy behind him. He'd tried so fucking hard to pick up where he had left off and to be the best husband and father that he could be. And he'd been getting there. When Ford was born, he had finally started to believe that he might be able to once again find the peace and happiness that his everyday life used to provide. 

But less than two weeks later, Sundance happened and as a result of the explosive reception of Call Me By Your Name there, 2017 quickly mutated into a year entirely focused on that film. How the fuck was he supposed to move on with the constant rehashing, retelling, and reliving of the experience in conversations and interviews over and over again for months? And between Tim filming in LA and their endless press tour, the two of them were thrown together again for a good part of the year. 

No one could ever accuse Elizabeth of being stupid and early on, she had confronted him about his feelings for Timmy. He had tried to be as honest as possible, but he was grateful that he could truthfully answer 'no' when she'd asked if he had ever cheated on her. 

Over the course of that year and into the next, he and Liz had several frank talks about the state of their marriage, what each of them needed and wanted, as well as sharing some of what they had been feeling. With two little ones and both of their careers thriving, there had been precious little alone-time for the two of them, so they had even taken a couple of long weekend getaways together, which had helped, at least for a while. They'd found a good marriage counselor and had agreed that they would both give it their all for the next few months. 

They had made it until Spring of this year before finally admitting defeat. There just wasn't enough there to cling to anymore. They were no longer a team, and in spite of the fact that they both loved their children more than anything, they had agreed that the best thing to do was to separate. When parents cease to be a couple, staying together just isn't in the best interest of the kids and beyond that, he and Elizabeth both deserved to be happier than they had been the last couple of years. 

With California's mandatory six month waiting period, the divorce wouldn't be final until the end of the year, but that was merely a formality at this point. Over the last couple of months, through trial and error, they had managed to find a rhythm and a somewhat workable system for dealing with a two household co-parenting situation. It was going as well as it could.

And now, no longer constricted by his marriage vows, he was finally free to explore the complicated feelings he's had for Tim for so long without the guilt that has always accompanied them. He still has a shit load of stuff to work out and to deal with first, but at least now there would be a chance for the two of them to talk about whatever this thing between them is and to decide, together, if there's anything there worth pursuing. 

He's startled out of his thoughts as his phone rings again. Clearly he's lost track of time as it's the kids' bedtime already. One thing he and Elizabeth had readily agreed on was that it was important, when scheduling permitted, that the kids get to Facetime the parent they are not with to say goodnight. They'd already been doing that for years anyway when one or the other was travelling, so it was a natural thing to continue. He answers the call and greets his babies with a big grin on his face. 

 

*****

 

The following morning, he goes for his run as planned, checking his phone as soon as he gets back. He smiles as he sees a series of texts from Tim.

_Hey, man. Talked to Margot and she's not going to let me off early on Friday. *sad face emoji*_

Armie's heart sinks as he continues reading. 

_Which would be a huge bummer if she wasn't giving me the whole fucking day off instead! *rock on emoji* She said I'd earned it. Whatever, but that means more time with you! *heart eyes emoji*_

_Got a flight booked that gets into LA around 12:30 on Friday. I've lost your new address already, so text it to me so I'll have it and I'll get myself there. Seriously, dude, don't come get me. You know the paps are all over LAX and you don't need that right now._ ''

_Can't wait to see you all! I'll text you when I land. *airplane emoji* *palm tree emoji* *smiley face with sunglasses emoji* *three heart emojis*_

Armie shakes his head, laughing as he texts back his address adding, _And don't think for one minute that I'm going to let your pathetic attempt at humor go by without some form of retribution. *devil face emoji*_

_But seriously, Tim, thanks for going to all of this effort. It means a lot. Can't wait to see your smiling face in person! *heart emoji*_


	2. Chapter 2

Timmy is almost at the airport when he realizes that he's forgotten to get gifts for Harper and Ford. _Fuck._ He can't arrive empty handed, so he'll just have to find something at the airport. The last time he had Facetimed with the kids, Hops couldn't stop talking about the pony she'd gotten to ride and Ford had all of his dinosaurs lined up in front of him, enthusiastically telling Timmy about each one. At least he has an idea of interests for each of them. 

Once he's through security, he looks around at available options and focuses in on a bookstore. He finds a Cat in the Hat Learning Library book about horses for Harper and a dinosaur ABC book for Ford. It's still hard to wrap his head around the fact that Hops is now almost five and Ford, almost three. Jesus, Ford hadn't even been born that summer they were filming in Crema. To say that a lot has happened for both him and Armie in the last three years would be the biggest fucking understatement of the century. 

He stops to grab a coffee and a bagel before heading to the departure gate and it's not long before the flight is boarding. 

When they are in the air and the announcement has been made that they may now use portable electronic devices, he's happy to note that the businessman next to him has pulled out his laptop, completely focusing on it and paying Tim absolutely no attention whatsoever. This is good. It looks to be a quiet flight. He puts his headphones on, pulls out his pillow, and settles back to relax.

It's been several months since he and Armie have seen each other and this will their first time together since the separation. He's had some time to process the news of the divorce now, but it's still going to be weird as fuck to face the reality of it. Above all, he hopes everyone is okay and he's glad that he and Armie will finally have a chance to talk about it in person.

And even though he knows he shouldn't go there, he can't help but wonder what, if anything, this might mean regarding any potential relationship between the two of them. He's tried to tell himself that what happened that night in Crema was a 'heat of the moment' thing and that Armie would have zero interest in pursuing any sort of romantic relationship with him. But what if that wasn't the case? In a perfect world, what does he really want? The simple answer is, he wants Armie any way he can have him and he has almost from day one. And that night? He lets out a heavy sigh. 

He's wished more times than he can count that he hadn't stopped what had been about to happen, but much more often, he's glad that he had. Armie had belonged to someone else then and he has no doubt that if they had carried on, they would have both regretted it. Not only would it have ruined their friendship, but the guilt that Armie would have felt would have been more than Timmy could have borne. 

Elizabeth and Harper had visited Armie in Crema a couple of times that summer, once for almost three weeks, so Tim had gotten to know them pretty well then and he certainly knew them even better now. He had liked Elizabeth right away. She was smart, funny, and had, from the beginning, treated Timmy like one of the family. And Hops was super sweet and adorable. At that point in time, Armie's marriage had seemed solid and happy. 

Of course Elizabeth hadn't been in Crema 'that' night. There had still been a few days of shooting remaining, but it was their last night in Crema before they moved on to Bergamo and Luca had invited everyone to dinner at his place. Both Tim and Armie had consumed a substantial amount of wine and when the party broke up, neither was ready to call it a night. Very aware that their time together would soon be ending, a mutual decision was made to carry on at Timmy's place. Once there, Armie opened the bottle of wine Timmy had in the fridge while he had disappeared into his bedroom to retrieve the joint he had stashed there. 

They sat on the sofa, kicked back, sipping wine and passing the joint back and forth. It had all felt very relaxed and intimate. When Tim got up to refill their glasses, Armie got up too, following him into the kitchen, continuing their conversation. Tim couldn't remember what had started it, but they'd been joking about Armie's large stature and Timmy couldn't resist a mention of Armie's balls hanging out of his short shorts. He had made some comment about him being freakishly large in more ways than one. 

"Is that right?" Armie chuckled as he shook his head. "Are you really going to go there?"

"Hey, if the size 20 shoe fits...and you know what they say about big feet, right?" He had been laughing and he knew he was going to pay for that comment, but he'd been feeling no pain and he was having too much fun to stop.

"Oh, you are so going to regret that, Monsieur Chalamet. Let's just see what this freakishly large person can manage to do to your skinny ass." Armie had grabbed him so fast he barely had time to set the wine bottle down. He started tickling while Timmy tried to fight him off, but he easily pinned Tim against the wall, making it hard for him to defend himself. 

The tickling was persistent and they were both laughing so hard. Finally unable to take any more, Timmy gave up, shouting, "Stop! Stop! Tregua! Tregua!" and Armie relented. With Armie's weight still against him, Tim tried to slow his breathing and catch his breath, while both of them continued to chuckle, clearly enjoying the moment.

Armie made a move to back away, but their eyes met as he did so and something completely unexpected flashed between them. They both stilled, suddenly serious, and instead of moving away, Armie leaned in closer, his breath hot on Timmy's face, their eyes still locked. Timmy's heart had nearly beaten out of his chest as Armie seemed to hesitate briefly before closing the distance between them.

He slowly licked from bottom to top across Tim's lips, smiling down at him, sharing the joke, before bringing their lips together in a kiss that was slow, sensual, and packed with desire. It was a kiss that asked permission rather than demanded a response. The gentleness of it was breathtaking and surprising and so incredibly erotic. Warmth quickly spread from the spot where their lips connected throughout the rest of Tim's body and he randomly wondered if it was possible for a person to actually melt in someone's arms.

When Armie eventually pulled back, presumably to gauge Timmy's reaction, whatever he saw on Tim's face must have told him all he needed to know because the next kiss was anything but gentle. He dove in with a fire that Timmy had readily matched. He was getting hard now just thinking about it. He had snaked his arms around Armie's neck and began climbing him, much as Elio had climbed Oliver. God, he couldn't get close enough. He was sure he had never wanted anything more. Hooking a leg around Armie's backside, he pulled him in so that their cocks made contact, which sent a jolt of electricity through him and confirmed that Armie was just as hard as he was.

He was ready to drag Armie to the bedroom when a sudden image of Harper crashed into his brain and he stopped dead. _Jesus Fucking Christ, what the hell were they doing?_ He put his hands on Armie's shoulders and shoved gently. 

"Armie." He struggled to breathe as he pulled back. Closing his eyes and shaking his head, he shoved harder. "Armie...fuck...we can't do this. _You_ can't do this. Your family..."

Seeming as lost in the moment as Timmy had been seconds before, Armie appeared confused before Timmy's words must have finally registered. His face suddenly transformed and he jumped back as though he'd been burned. He continued to stare at Timmy, but it was more like he was looking through him. He finally lowered his gaze, nervously running his hand through his hair as he shook his head. "Fuck."

Timmy ducked his head, feeling gut-punched. Bringing his hands up to scrub roughly across his face, he tried to speak. "I'm sorry..."

"What? No!" Armie's head immediately snapped up and his eyes softened as he stepped forward again, gently cupping Timmy's cheek. "Jesus, Tim, no. You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm the one who should be apologizing." 

The pain in his voice was clear. They stood there, looking at each other, neither having a fucking clue what to say or do. Tim was feeling overwhelmed and shell-shocked as Armie dropped his hand, looking away once more. He spoke barely above a whisper. "I...I should probably go."

Completely defeated, all Timmy could manage was a nod. 

Armie placed a hand on Tim's arm, squeezing gently before turning and walking to the door. He looked back as his hand reached for the knob, offering a smile, but the haunted look in his eyes negated the effort. "See you in the morning, okay?"

"Yeah." He tried a small smile of his own, but he wasn't sure how it came out. "See you tomorrow."

When he heard the door click shut, he closed his eyes and fell back against the wall, slowly banging his head against it as he felt the sting of tears. _Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_

A whole smorgasbord of emotions raced through him - regret, anguish, frustration, disappointment, guilt, heartbreak - hell, he might as well sample them all. On top of that, his stomach was churning and he was very much regretting the excessive alcohol/weed combination that was still working its way through his system. How had things gone from blissful to wretched in the blink of an eye? Talk about fucking whiplash. 

He wasn't really one for praying, but he prayed then that they could get past this, because if they couldn't, he wasn't sure how he could endure it. 

Though their initial contact the next day had been tentative and awkward, they were both clearly making an effort to get things back to normal. Thankfully, it didn't take long for them to regain their footing with each other, but the easy physicality that had existed between them was gone, at least in the short run, and that had really hurt. 

Their goodbye at the end of the shoot, however, had been an exception and it was so similar to the goodbye that Elio and Oliver shared that it nearly broke him. But he had survived it and by the time the press tour had begun in earnest, their relationship was back to what it had been in those early days in Crema, including those natural, casual touches and it was as though that night had never happened. He knew that was for the best, but why the fuck did it still hurt so much?

Three years down the road he had really hoped that his feelings might have mellowed but of course, they hadn't. If anything, they'd grown stronger, so all that shit about absence making the heart grow fonder maybe wasn't shit after all.

And now, he's about to see Armie again and this time, though he's still technically married, Elizabeth is not between them. There are probably a thousand other things that are, but nothing feels as much of an absolute barrier as 'a wife,' and he can't stop the feeling of hope that rises in him.

He still has no fucking clue if Armie feels at all the same way he does, but he's hoping he'll have a better idea about that after this weekend. And though he tries not to think too far ahead, in his heart he knows that it will kill him if Armie makes it clear he's not interested. 

He texts Armie as soon as they land and he sends another once he's snagged a Lyft. Staring out the window, he tries to focus on the passing scenery, but his mind is racing. Back at LaGuardia, Shifman had taught all of his students various breathing exercises to help them calm nerves and de-stress before performances and Timmy has certainly found them helpful on several occasions in the past. He tries a couple now and they do help. As the car pulls up in front of Armie's place, he finds that any nervousness he might be experiencing is more than outweighed by the complete happiness he feels at the prospect of being with Armie again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to split the 3rd and 4th chapters into two and have updated the chapter count to reflect that. I had originally planned to do each of those chapters as a day that the boys were together in LA, but there was so much happening in each chapter and I figured that readers might enjoy more chapters, more frequently. Thanks to everyone who has read, kudo'd and commented so far!


	3. Chapter 3

Armie fluffs the pillows on the couch and rearranges the magazines on the coffee table for at least the third time before taking a deep breath and telling himself to chill the fuck out. It's Timmy for chrissake, not the goddamn Pope. He looks at his watch - again - as he focuses his attention on the front drive. 

When he finally sees the car approach, his heart leaps into his throat and he has to swallow hard to force it back down where it belongs. He makes his way to the front door, throwing it open as Timmy steps out of the car and starts walking towards him. 

"Sweet Tea!" he shouts. He knows he has a ridiculous grin on his face as he opens his arms in welcome, but he can't help it. Timmy flashes that beautiful, radiant smile in return as he lets his backpack slide off his shoulder and drop to the ground. He practically runs forward into the embrace.

"Armie! Hey, man! It's so fuckin' good to see you." Armie wraps his arms tightly around Tim, burying his face in those soft, dark curls. He closes his eyes, breathing in that unique 'Timmy' scent. Tim has pressed his whole body solidly against Armie, latching onto huge handfuls of the back of his shirt, and burrowing his head deeply into Armie's shoulder. They melt into each other, both clearly striving to erase that last bit of distance that holds them as two separate individuals. 

Armie is overwhelmed by the joy and the feeling of completeness that washes over him. He is caught off guard by it all and so he allows the honest words that find their way out as he speaks into Tim's hair. "I don't think I realized until this moment how being with you is exactly what I need right now. It means so much to me that you came."

Tim squeezes a bit tighter as he says, clearly from the heart, "Armz, you gotta to know that I'll always be here for you whenever I can be."

When they finally pull back, they make solid eye contact for the first time and Armie instinctively reaches out to brush one of Tim's curls out of his eyes. He wanted to allow things to unfold however they were meant to this weekend, so he's avoided setting guidelines or boundaries for himself ahead of time. Apparently touching Timmy is something that's just going to happen and he's more than fine with that. "Glad to see your director hasn't requested a bowl cut or something else equally vile. Not sure I could cope with that. I need the Timmy I know and love."

Timmy laughs. "And that's exactly who you've got. Nah, she's actually good with it a bit longer. She says it suits the role." 

Armie continues to stare before he realizes that he's the one that needs to move things forward. "Fuck, sorry. We don't need to spend the whole weekend on my front step. Come on in. Let me show you around the villa." They both laugh as Tim grabs his backpack and follows Armie into the house.

"I wanted us to have some time on our own, so it's just you and me today," he explains as they step into the house. "The grand opening for the new Bird Bakery in Denver is on Wednesday and Elizabeth is taking the kids with her when she heads there on Monday so they can spend some time with Liz's folks. But the kids will be with us all day tomorrow and tomorrow night. They can't wait to see you."

"Can't wait to see them." Tim looks around. "This is nice."

Armie looks around too, trying to see the place from an outsider's perspective. "Yeah, it's fine. It was appealing because it came fully furnished and of course, it's just a few blocks from Liz's, which makes it convenient. There's even a pool out back."

Their conversation feels a bit forced and stilted to him, but that's really not surprising, considering it's been a few months since they've seen each other and a hell of a lot has happened in that time. He carries on, gesturing to his right. "So, over here are the bedrooms. The bathroom is there. That's Ford's room," he says as he points to a door. "You can put your stuff in there. That's Hops' room," he says, pointing again. "And at the end of the hall is my room."

Tim nods and throws his bag on one of the beds in Ford's room. 

"I figured you'd be hungry. If you don't mind waiting half an hour or so, I threw together a bit of a picnic lunch and thought maybe we could drive up to that spot in Malibu Bluffs Park - have some lunch, enjoy the view, catch up a bit."

"Yeah, that sounds great. I've missed that view. Let me just use the facilities and I'm ready to go." 

"Okay. I'll meet you in the kitchen. We'll go out through the garage."

 

*****

 

They are seated in the bed of his truck with their backs up against the cab and their long legs stretched out in front of them. Having finished their lunch, they are now on their second beers, sharing a companionable silence as they enjoy this spectacular ocean view. Armie closes his eyes as he focuses on the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below, feeling the immense power of the water echo deep inside him. He sighs contentedly as he takes in a breath of the fresh sea air, opening his eyes again and moving his gaze to the distant horizon that provides a definitive edge to the vast expanse of water. 

He's been coming to this spot for years and it never fails to relax him and to ease the tension he feels when he lets the problems in his life overwhelm him. This place always helps him put the shit he's dealing with into perspective because, honestly, his issues are so fucking small in comparison to everything that's happening in the world. 

And sitting here beside Timmy adds a whole extra layer of contentment. He had brought Tim up here a couple of times when Tim was living with them while filming 'Beautiful Boy.' That shoot had been intense and there were some days when Armie felt that Tim really needed the calming aura of this place. Since then, the spot had become theirs in his head so being here with Tim again just feels so perfect and right. 

"Thanks for thinking of this, man," Timmy says, almost reading his thoughts, letting out a sigh of his own. "Those times you brought me up here when I was filming helped so much. Being with you and the talks we had here were every bit as healing as the serenity of this place. And as much as I thrive on the energy and intensity of New York, sometimes a person just needs good company and a peaceful spot to unwind." He smiles before adding, "It's not Italy, but it's not bad."

Armie smiles in return. He's not surprised that, as so often happens, he and Tim are on the same page about something. He's pleased that he's thought to bring Timmy here today. "Definitely not bad. But, yeah, man, I can't tell you how often I think of that time in Crema. It was perfect in so many ways. And it's not something you can share with just anyone. The only people who truly get it are you and Luca. Hey, and speaking of Luca, did he call you?"

"Yeah, a couple of days ago. He said he'd talked to you." 

"He did. Fuck, T., it's so surreal to think that we get to do it again. I mean, I know it's not going to be the same, but I still can't believe it's just a few months away now. Did he tell you he's thinking about trying to get some winter shots in December or January in New York before the actual filming starts?"

Timmy nods. "Yeah, I mean, obviously, they can fake anything but the budget for this one will be huge compared to last time, so it makes sense that if he can get real snow, he'd prefer that. I can't wait to see the final script."

They talk a bit more about the sequel, before Armie finally broaches the subject of his divorce. "Speaking of having some good talks here, we can talk about my divorce if you want. I'm sure it's been on your mind and it must be fucking weird for you to be here with me living one place and Elizabeth another." 

Timmy takes a moment before responding. "I mean, yeah, it feels a bit weird, but honestly what I'm most surprised about is that you really seem to be doing okay. Are you?"

He offers Tim a genuine smile. "Truth? Yeah, actually, I am. I feel like, for the first time in a long while, I can breathe and just take each day as it comes. It's like I've shed a part of me that's felt heavy and restrictive and I've discovered a new part that is open and optimistic and I'm actually looking forward to whatever might come next." 

Tim studies him before smiling and nodding, clearly accepting the truth of what Armie's said. "That's great, man - seriously. I'm really happy for you. It's a whole new chapter in the life of Armie Hammer." 

Armie smiles at Tim's heartfelt support. "It is, yeah. But I've got some things to get through first. Obviously, divorce is never easy or pleasant and we're still arguing about some stuff, but thankfully, we're in agreement on the big things. And we're both making an effort to be as nice to each other as possible, especially in front of the kids. I mean, I know I'll always love her in some way, but we were just making each other so fucking miserable. It's no way to live."

He takes a swig of his beer as he thinks about what else he wants to say.

"God, I've spent so many hours dissecting it all and wondering if there was any way we could have salvaged it, but I honestly don't think there was. I think what it all comes down to is that old cliché about wanting different things out of life. It's not entirely her fault and it's not entirely mine." 

Tim's gaze is focused on Armie, paying close attention to what he's saying. Armie's not sure why he feels the need for complete honesty with Tim, but maybe he just needs to share this next part with someone and he trusts Tim more than anyone not to judge him for it. 

"Having said that, I feel that I'm more to blame than she is. You know as well as anyone that Elizabeth always likes to run the show and set the agenda for everyone. In some ways, that determined spirit of hers is one of her best traits. She's a strong-willed, independent woman and that's certainly one of the reasons I fell in love with her, but I just reached a point where I felt suffocated by her need to always control everything and I began to resent her for it.

"I'm certainly not proud of this and it's hard for me to admit it to you, but I sometimes used to do things that I knew would frustrate her or piss her off. At the time, I didn't even know why I was doing it, but I understand now that it was a way for me to feel like there were at least some things in the marriage that I could control. 

"She thrives on going full tilt 24/7 and she likes to be surrounded by people, living in this perfect world that she thinks everyone should want. I think that I was blindly following along in her wake most of the time and just going through the motions. In spite of really trying, after that summer, I realized that I didn't want to live that way anymore."

"We were both pretty good at ignoring our problems, but they were definitely there even before Crema. That experience just amplified them and helped me realize that I had been trying to conform to some outside expectation of how I should be living my life, and that maybe that wasn't really the life I wanted." He turns to look at Tim. "Have you heard of Joseph Campbell?"

Timmy nods. "Isn't he the 'follow your bliss' guy?"

Armie laughs, moving his hand in the air to make a small sign of the cross. "Flying colors. Yeah, he is. After Crema I was really searching for some way to carry on with my life and yet still hold on to that feeling of peace and contentment that I'd found that summer. I happened to stumble on this interview on YouTube that Campbell had done with Bill Moyers and he talked about reading Sinclair Lewis' 'Babbitt.' It's about a middle aged guy who was outwardly successful but he was dissatisfied and unhappy and he felt as though his life was empty. At the end of the book, he's talking to his son and he says something like, 'I've never done a thing I've wanted to in all my life.'

"Campbell said that Babbitt was a man who had never followed his bliss. You can have all the success in the world, but if you're not doing the things you really want to do and are not finding joy in every day, what kind of life is it?" 

Timmy is watching him intently. "So, this divorce is your way of following your bliss?"

Armie thinks about that. "In a way, yeah, I guess that's part of it. Campbell also said that 'we must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.' The thing is, that life wasn't a bad life; it just wasn't the one that was right for me. 

Tim nods and smiles. "So what is Armie Hammer's bliss?"

Armie laughs. "When I figure that out, you'll be the first to know."

Tim laughs too as he holds his bottle up to Armie. "Well, here's to your new life and to finding whatever it is that brings you joy every day."

Why is it that the first thought that pops into his head is that being with Timmy brings him that joy? He raises his bottle and clinks it to Tim's, deciding, once more, to go ahead and speak a portion of that truth. "Thanks, Tim. I can tell you that having you here definitely brings me joy."

Tim smiles warmly. "Ditto, man. Being here with you seriously makes me so happy."

They're quiet again for a while before Armie broaches a subject that will definitely change the mood.

"So, Elizabeth would really like to see you if that wouldn't be too uncomfortable for you."

Tim looks startled, but nods. "No, yeah, I'd like to see her as well. It might feel a bit awkward at first, but she's absolutely my friend too. I don't think I would have made it through the 'Beautiful Boy' shoot without her."

Armie knows that Tim and Elizabeth had formed a tight bond during that time as she had been so worried about the toll that shoot was taking on him and to her credit, she had done everything she could to support him through it. They had both enjoyed having Tim live with them that month.

He smiles. "Good, I'll let her know. You can come with me in the morning when I go pick up the kids."

"Sure, that sounds good." 

*****

 

They're mostly quiet on the drive back. For his part, Armie's just feeling more relaxed and content than he has in a very long time. He suspects Tim is digesting everything he shared with him, which makes sense as it was a lot. He glances at Tim occasionally as he drives, so many different thoughts and emotions running through his head. He's already accepted that he has feelings for Tim and this weekend together feels significant, but he's not yet ready to define anything or analyze any of it. He just wants to enjoy it. 

Though Tim's attention appears to be focused out the window, he has obviously picked up on the fact that Armie has been watching him. He turns, giving him a questioning look. "What?"

Armie looks at Tim again. He smiles and shakes his head. "Nothin'." Tim cocks his head, clearly not buying that answer, so he's honest once again. "Just enjoying the day, is all. I know we haven't seen each other for a while, but for some reason, today feels different than other times we've been together recently. I can't really explain it."

"Different in a good way?"

"Yeah, definitely in a good way."

"Okay." He doesn't push but Armie notices the smile that appears on Tim's face as he looks back out the window. He chuckles as he focuses back on the road.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Better to speak," she said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As this was originally part of Chapter 3, we continue in Armie's POV.

Tim is sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, keeping him company while he fixes dinner. He had offered to help, but Armie had prepped everything ahead of time so there isn't much to do. The potatoes and vegetables had gone into the oven a while ago, and as he checks them now, he decides they're just about ready. He picks up the steaks, heading for the grill on the patio when Tim's phone rings. 

"Shit, it's Brian. Sorry, man, I gotta to take this."

"No problem. I won't put the steaks on until you're done and the stuff in the oven will wait, so take your time. Say hi for me."

Tim nods as he answers the call, wandering into the living room to talk. 

Armie goes outside and preheats the grill while he waits for Tim to finish talking to his agent. He honestly can't remember the last time they've had most of a day together like this; just the two of them, with no commitments or agendas. He feels like he's been smiling all day because the simple fact is, spending time with Timmy makes him happy. More than happy, and Tim seems to be enjoying the weekend as much as he is.

Of course, he wishes that they had more than a couple of days, but he's grateful that they've at least got this time. And since they will have the kids tomorrow, tonight will be their last opportunity for meaningful conversation. He's got so much to sort out and he knows the timing is wrong, but their lives are on opposite coasts right now and who knows when he'll have this chance again? There's something he wants to say to Tim and it needs to be said in person. 

Today has confirmed for him just how necessary Tim is to his happiness and it seems important to at least give Tim a clue about how he feels. He also wants to determine if Tim might feel the same because if he doesn't, Armie will just have to accept his friendship as enough and he'd rather know that now than later. He suspects that Tim does reciprocate his feelings, but he's not going to make assumptions. _Is it better to speak or to die?_ He determines not to make the same mistake as that gutless French knight, so he resolves to speak tonight. He just wishes he knew what the fuck he was going to say. 

When Tim walks out to join him on the patio, he shrugs an apology. "Sorry about that. Brian was just updating me on some publicity stuff I have to do for the play next week." He smiles as he adds, "He says 'hi' back and he wants me to tell you that you should take a serious look at that Malcolm Charles script that your agent sent you. He says it's brilliant and ground-breaking and that the role is perfect for you."

Armie laughs, momentarily surprised that Brian knows about that script, but of course he does. "Tell him thanks, but I'd already figured that one out on my own. The wheels are in motion." 

Tim smiles and nods his approval as Armie throws the steaks on the grill.

They share a nice bottle of Italian red with the meal and just as they finish cleaning up the kitchen, Armie gets his 'goodnight' call from the kids. Timmy says hi to everyone and Armie lets Elizabeth know that they will be over around 10 in the morning to pick up the kids.

When the call ends, Armie turns to Tim with a smile. "I've got something special for you to try." He grabs a couple of short glasses, puts a couple of ice cubes in each, and produces the bottle of whisky Timmy had sent him for his birthday.

When Tim sees what it is, he smiles. "Ah, nice of you to share."

"I guarantee I won't be sharing this with anyone else, but since you're the one that gave it to me, it seems only fair to let you sample it." He pours a nice amount for each of them.

As they settle beside each other on the sofa, Armie pulls out his phone and starts scrolling through music. "What do you want to listen to?"

"Doesn't matter. Something mellow?" 

"Right." He decides to go with the smooth jazz he had been listening to the other night. It should provide the right mood for the conversation he wants to have. Tim smiles as the music begins to play from the speakers in the room. 

They pick up their glasses and Armie raises his in a toast. He can't think of a more appropriate one than the traditional Italian, "Salute."

Timmy raises his and responds, "Alla salute." They each take a sip and Armie waits for Tim's reaction. He nods, seemingly impressed, and says with a grin, ''Fuck, I know how to pick a good scotch, huh?"

Armie laughs. "Fuck, yeah you do." 

It's Timmy's turn to laugh. "And we'll just pretend that I knew exactly what I was doing and had absolutely no help whatsoever making the selection."

"Of course."

They settle back, side by side, both clearly relaxed and neither feeling the need to fill the silence at the moment. This reminds Armie of the evenings in Crema when they would meet in one or the other's apartment, have dinner, go over lines, talk about the day, and often, just share a comfortable silence.

And as Crema comes to mind, he suddenly knows exactly how he's going to start this conversation with Tim. What better place than that night when everything changed? Neither had ever mentioned it again, something of an unspoken agreement which had seemed best at the time, but there's something he's always felt he needs to say. 

His heart is beating fast as he takes a deep breath and begins. "So, it's long overdue, but I owe you a thank you."

Tim looks at him with a puzzled expression. "For what?"

Armie takes a substantial sip of his scotch in an effort to steady his nerves. As he sets the glass down, he turns so that he is facing Tim on the couch. He's tempted to look elsewhere, but he forces himself to meet Timmy's gaze. "That night in Crema." Tim suddenly tenses and takes on a bit of a 'deer in the headlights' look. _Fuck._ Maybe he shouldn't have started this way, but he's committed now. "You kept me from crossing a line that night and I never really thanked you for that."

Tim is usually pretty easy for him to read, but he can't quite interpret what he's seeing in Tim's face right now. There's confusion there, for sure, but also... Fear? Nervousness? Embarrassment? He takes another breath and tries again. "That's not....I mean...fuck, this isn't coming out right at all, but that night...well, I could have ruined a lot of things for a lot of people. I'm grateful that you had the sense to stop it." It still isn't exactly what he wants to say, but he didn't think any of this through ahead of time. "I'm sorry, I'm having trouble finding the words to express what I mean, but please know that I appreciate your actions that night."

Tim nods slowly, apparently trying to digest what Armie's said. His gaze moves to the glass in his hand as he takes a sip before setting it down. He, too, turns so that he is facing Armie as he makes eye contact. He still looks uncertain. 

"I think I get what you're trying to say and I'm glad if I kept you from making a mistake, but..." 

_Mistake?_ "No, Tim..." He starts to interrupt so that he can clarify, but Tim holds up a hand, intent on finishing his thought.

"...but since you brought it up, there's something that I've wondered about ever since that night, and now that I finally have a chance, can I ask you a question?" 

He feels his heart skip a beat. "Of course. Yeah. What is it?"

Tim takes his time, clearly organizing his thoughts before he speaks. "So, that night, when I said I was sorry and you said it was you who should be apologizing..."

Armie nods, his nerves kicking up a notch. "Yeah?"

Tim hesitates before he continues. "Well, I've never really been sure if you were sorry that it happened - that it was something you regretted - a mistake - and it only happened because you were drunk and high, or..." He looks down briefly before locking eyes with Armie. "Or if you were sorry that you'd started something that you really did want, but weren't free to pursue." 

It seems to have taken everything Timmy has to get that question out and it's clear that it's been weighing on him. He looks visibly on edge and is avoiding eye contact now. It never occurred to him that Tim wouldn't know the answer to that question, but as he thinks about it, why would he? Armie had been thinking only of himself that night and the mess he'd made of things. He'd run out of there before they'd had a chance to talk about it and they'd never mentioned it again.

He shakes his head now, full of regret and angry at himself for being so fucking oblivious. He looks up to see that Tim is nervously running a hand up and down his leg, head bowed, clearly waiting for a blow. Armie reaches out and covers Tim's hand with his own, slotting his fingers between Tim's, taking control and stilling the motion. 

He waits for Timmy to look up and when he does, Armie smiles warmly and speaks honestly. 

"Tim, I'm so sorry. I'm an idiot. I guess I just assumed that the answer to that question was obvious, but clearly, it wasn't. If I had realized that you had any doubts about how I felt I would have said something a long time ago. I can assure you, from the bottom of my heart, that my _only_ regret about that night is that in my impaired state, I let my longing for what I wanted more than you can possibly know, override my better judgment." 

Tim studies him and his expression softens as he takes in the truth of what Armie has just said. He nods and smiles, looking as though a weight has been lifted from him. His attention is now focused on their joined hands. He slowly turns his hand over under Armie's and intertwines their fingers properly as he nods again, several times. "Okay. Good. That's...yeah, that's really good to know." He laughs as he huffs out a breath. "But...one more question?"

Armie smiles. "Anything. No secrets now."

"Well, I guess...I'm wondering if you still feel that way? I mean, I don't want to assume anything here but since you brought it up...?"

Armie squeezes Timmy's hand tightly. "I very much still feel that way. Tim, the God's honest truth is that what I feel for you is sort of overwhelming for me and it scares me a little...or a lot, but it also feels pretty fucking amazing. I hope, at some point in the not too distant future, we'll be able to revisit that night and see where thing go. But there's so much I need to sort out right now. This whole 'gutting your life and moving on' is a lot, you know? And the divorce isn't even final until mid-December. I just don't think I'm ready to think about anything beyond making everything okay for the kids and functioning day to day." 

Tim visibly relaxes and nods in understanding. "Of course, yeah, I totally get that, and the last thing I want to do is to make any of this more difficult for you. Just knowing that you might be interested in pursuing something between us is...good. It's enough. If I can do anything to help as you work through all this, I'm here for you 110%. Otherwise, take all the time you need and know that when you're ready for more...I'll be waiting." 

Timmy raises their still joined hands to his lips and gently kisses the back of Armie's. The kiss sears into Armie's skin and it takes all of his willpower not to pull Timmy in and devour him. Instead, he takes a steadying breath and moves their intertwined hands over to rest on his own thigh, holding on tightly.

"I can't ask for more than that. Thank you." He smiles as he adds, "But in the spirit of not wanting to make assumptions, can I take it that, based on your reaction, you might not be averse to exploring whatever this might be between us?"

Tim assumes a mock-serious expression as he brings his other hand up to his jaw, stroking it thoughtfully. "Adverse? Hmm. No. No, I don't think so. Not adverse at all, actually. In fact, one might say that it's something that I'm very definitely interested in exploring and it might even be something that I've been thinking about for, I don't know, the last three fucking years maybe?" He offers Armie a cheeky grin.

Armie's resolve to give himself time is nearly undone by the thrill of seeing Tim so open and happy, but he plays along. "Is that right? Three years, huh?"

Tim smirks. "Yeah, well I mean, who can resist a guy who stubbornly eats his way through an entire raw steak rather than admit that he screwed up?"

Armie can't help but laugh at that. "What can I say? And who knew that pure pig-headedness could be a turn on?"

"Hey, we all have our kinks, man. But in all seriousness, you should probably give me my hand back now because if I don't put some distance between us, I might be tempted to forget that I just told you to take all the time you need and do something completely inappropriate. And that wouldn't be very supportive now would it? So...hand, please?"

Armie grins at him as he slowly brings their joined hands up to his lips, dropping his own lingering kiss to the back of Tim's hand before relinquishing it.

Tim smiles and shakes his head, clearly a bit flustered. He turns away from Armie as he picks up his glass and moves from the sofa to a nearby chair. "So, I think a complete change of subject might be a good idea too."

Armie nods his assent. "Agreed, but our time together is limited and before we do that, there's one more thing I'd like to say." He takes a breath to clear his mind because he wants this to come out right. "You asked me earlier today what my bliss is. I still don't have a definitive answer to that, but I do know that part of it would be a life where I can find a piece of Crema in every day. A life where I can hold onto the parts of me that I discovered there and one where I can become the best version of me that I can be. Another favorite Joseph Campbell quotes is, 'The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.' Timmy, I want you to know that the only thing I'm absolutely certain of right now is that I'll never be able to be who I am without you in my life because you bring out the best in me and you complete me in ways I'm only just beginning to figure out."

Tim looks stunned and somewhat overwhelmed. He nods as he gives Armie a serious look. "Okay...wow." He shakes his head in disbelief. "Armie...Jesus, that's just so fucking much how I feel. I can't say that I've ever given much thought to my 'bliss,' other than knowing that acting is something I'll always want and need to do, but honestly, I can't imagine I'd ever find complete happiness and contentment without you. There'd always be this big, fucking hole inside me." 

A tremendous warmth swells in him and a joyous smile spreads across his face. "I seriously wish you weren't so far away right now, but I guess I owe you another thank you for being foresighted enough to move out of my reach."

Tim laughs. "Man, I moved so that you were out of _my_ reach. Seriously, if I'm gonna give you the time you need, it's a good thing that we'll be on opposite coasts for the next few months."

Armie laughs too, feeling happy and lighthearted. "Yeah, you're probably right. Having you close by would be far too distracting for me to be able to focus on the things I really need to focus on right now, but I'm going to miss you so fucking much." 

He knows Tim's right, that it's for the best, but that doesn't mean that he wouldn't throw all of his well-reasoned and very appropriate restraint right out the window if there was a chance for them to be together now. He takes a deep breath and says, "So, I guess this would be a good time to change the subject. What innocuous topic of conversation can we find that will keep us out of trouble for the rest of the evening?" 

Tim, though clearly feeling much of what Armie is, makes an effort now to play along. He appears to think for a minute before he grins and comes out with, "Read any good books lately?"

Armie bursts out laughing.

****

****

*****

Wide awake, Armie flops over onto his back, staring up at the ceiling, knowing that sleep is not going to come easy tonight. His mind is racing and there are far too many thoughts crowding into his brain to be able to focus on any of them, except for the one the matters the most. For some incredible, unknown reason, after all this time, and against the odds, Tim seems to want exactly what he wants. He blows out a breath and shakes his head as the reality of that hits him. _Wow._

The day had been close to perfect and though he had tried not to set any agendas or expectations ahead of time, he can't imagine that it could have played out any better. And now he has so fucking much to think about, but that could all wait a couple of days. Letting today play out naturally had turned out better than expected, so that's what he would do tomorrow as well. They'd have the kids, so it would change things up, which was a good thing. Letting out a long breath, he rolls onto his side and closes his eyes, willing sleep to come.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who doesn't love a good peach?

It takes Tim a few seconds to remember where he is as he wakes up. He'd tossed and turned a good part of the night, replaying that entire conversation from the night before in his head. Yesterday had been unexpected in so many ways, but their shared confessions had been fucking unbelievable.

He knew Armie was dealing with a lot right now and he'd told himself before he came that this was Armie's weekend and he would take his cue from him regarding what would or wouldn't be discussed. So when Armie had brought up that night in Crema, he'd not only been surprised, but also fucking terrified. He'd been afraid that Armie would tell him that even though he was about to be single, it didn't mean that he had any interest in Tim beyond friendship and that what had happened that night had been a mistake.

Instead... _Fuck!_ Instead, Armie had made clear that he sees Tim as an important part of his future. He feels giddy at the thought and after three years of pining for someone he was sure he could never have, he's suddenly looking at the very real possibility of a legitimate romantic relationship with him. It's seriously too much to comprehend.

He can hear Armie moving around in the kitchen now and he hauls himself out of bed. They have one more day together and he's determined to enjoy every minute of it. He opens his backpack, pulling out clothes and toiletries before heading to the bathroom.

 

*********

 

As he makes his way to the kitchen, he realizes he's nervous. What if everything that Armie said last night had been the result of too much wine and whiskey and that he is now regretting it? _Jesus, Tim, get out of your head!_ There's absolutely no reason to think that Armie didn't mean everything he said. Why does he always have to fucking over-think everything? He takes a breath and lets it out slowly as he steps into the room.

"Good morning."

"Hey! Good morning." Armie is standing at the stove, frying up some bacon. "Help yourself to coffee. I set a mug out for you." He greets Tim as though last night's intimacy had never happened. That's good, right? Or...not? 

"Great, thanks." He heads over to the coffee maker and fills his mug, nervousness still very much an issue. The coffee smells good and he can certainly use the kick of caffeine. He walks around the kitchen feigning nonchalance. Armie is focused on the pan on the stove, so Tim allows himself a long look at him, trying to discern his mood. Of course Armie glances up and catches him staring. Tim casually looks away, acting as though nothing had happened. _Fuck!_ "So, what's for breakfast?" 

Armie smiles easily. "I don't usually cook breakfast for myself, but I thought today would be a good excuse to indulge in some eggs, bacon, and toast. Hope that's okay."

"Yeah, sounds great and that bacon smells amazing. What can I do to help?"

"Not a thing. I've got this." He flips a strip of bacon over in the pan, grease popping as the uncooked side hits the hot bacon fat. "Sit and enjoy your coffee."

Tim nods and sits on a stool at the breakfast bar. He turns his attention out the window, focusing on the pool and cursing himself for getting caught out. He tries to think of something natural to say, but his mind's gone blank. When he glances back towards Armie, he's surprised to catch Armie's eyes on him.

Armie looks away quickly, pulling the bacon out of the skillet, tossing it in a warming pan which he shoves into the oven. He stands facing the stove for a minute, hands on his hips, chuckling and shaking his head before he turns to face Tim with a grin on his face. "So, I guess it's probably good that the kids will be here today because otherwise we'd spend the whole day eyeing each other when we think the other one isn't looking and being embarrassed when we get caught. Yesterday was such a perfect day and our time is so limited. I don't want to spend today feeling uncomfortable and awkward, so please, let's not do that."

Tim nods and laughs, feeling a weight lifted. "Yeah, agreed, man. I definitely don't want that. Besides, I'm really looking forward to seeing the kids. They're growing so fast and I don't get to see them enough, so I want to focus on them today. We'll just chill and enjoy the day as much as we did yesterday - just in a different way."

Armie shakes his head, a warm and affectionate expression on his face. "I still think there's some 80-year-old inside you. Maybe I should start calling you Yoda. But before we move on, I know you and how you always second guess everything, so I want to make clear that what I said last night? I absolutely meant every word, okay?" 

Tim laughs and nods, breathing a sigh of relief. "You do know me well. Yeah, okay. And so we're on the same page, I totally meant everything I said too."

Armie smiles, giving Tim a long wistful look before he turns back to the stove, cracking eggs into a pan as he punches down the toaster. "There's OJ in the fridge. Help yourself."

"Ha! You really do know me, thanks. Now, point me to the dishes and silverware and I'll set the table. Do you want anything besides coffee to drink?" 

 

*********

 

Armie knocks as he's opening the door which must feel fucking weird, considering that this used to be his home too. "Good morning!" he shouts as they step inside. "Butch and Sundance are riding again." 

"Kitchen," Elizabeth responds as she laughs. Timmy chuckles too.

Harper and Ford come barreling out of nowhere. "Daddy, Timmy!" Harper yells as she veers toward Timmy first. He squats down and she flings herself into his waiting arms.

"Hey, Hops! It's so good to see you guys! I've missed you." Her little arms snake around his neck and it makes his heart melt.

Ford has gone for Armie, since Harper is monopolizing Timmy and Armie picks him up, swinging him in a circle. "Hey, buddy. How's Daddy's favorite guy?"

"Good. I got a new dinosaur."

"Yeah? I can't wait to see it." 

Ford just nods as he looks towards Timmy shyly.

Timmy sets Hops back down. "Let me say hi to your brother, okay?" She nods and he reaches out to take Ford, who eagerly comes to him while Hops jumps up into her daddy's arms.

"Hey, baby girl," Armie says to her as he kisses her cheek. "I've missed you."

She snuggles closer. "Daddy, we see each other all the time."

Watching Armie with his kids produces all kinds of soft feelings. Timmy absorbs it all as he turns his attention back to Ford. "So you like dinosaurs, huh?" 

"Uh-huh. I got lots. Wanna see?"

"Sure, but maybe a bit later, okay? I need to go say hi to your mommy first."

Ford nods again and as Tim sets him back down on the floor, they all make their way to the kitchen.

Elizabeth wipes her hands on her apron as she smiles brightly at him. "Well, if it isn't the Academy Award winning Best Supporting Actor himself." She gives him a big hug which he reciprocates with genuine affection. "Really good to see you, Timmy, and I'm so proud of you. I'm glad that after all the pain and suffering you went through during that shoot that it paid off in such a huge way for you."

Timmy laughs. "Hey, Elizabeth. Thank you. I'm not sure I would have gotten through it all without your constant care and support. It's really great to see you too." She looks good and, he is pleased to note, happy. As he pulls back, the heavenly aroma in the kitchen hits him. "Oh man, it smells amazing in here."

"I need a couple of guinea pigs. You two need to sample and tell me what you think. The new Denver bakery is opening on Wednesday and we're just coming in at the end of Palisade Peach season in Colorado. Palisade Peaches are a big deal there and I wanted to have something unique for our opening so I've been playing around with this peach scone recipe. Tell me what you think."

Timmy and Armie both smirk as they eye each other. It takes Elizabeth only a few seconds to realize what's going on and she bursts out laughing. "Oh my gosh! Timmy, I'm so sorry. I swear it never crossed my mind. I've been so obsessed with coming up with something new and special for Denver that the significance of the fruit choice never occurred to me."

Timmy chuckles. "It's okay; I promise I won't have flashbacks or anything. I can't avoid peaches my whole life."

Harper chimes in as all three adults are now laughing. "Mommy, doesn't Timmy like peaches?"

This just causes them all to laugh harder and Harper starts to look upset. "Hopsey, sweetheart, we're all just being silly. Actually, I think Timmy likes peaches very much, don't you, Tim?"

He has to work to keep his grin under control, because he definitely doesn't want Harper to think they are laughing at her. "Hops, I do like peaches. A lot. What do you say you and I try one of these? They look delicious, don't they?"

She smiles now and nods enthusiastically. Timmy breaks off a small piece for her and one for Ford before taking a bite himself.

Not surprisingly, they are fucking fantastic - peaches and all. "Elizabeth, these are amazing! Seriously, if people don't like these, they shouldn't be allowed in a bakery."

She kisses his cheek and looks at Armie who hasn't said a word but seems to be totally in love with them. He smiles at her and offers a thumbs up as he stuffs another bite in his mouth, which makes her laugh. 

"Coffee, guys?"

"Yes, please," Tim responds while Armie nods an affirmative, taking another bite.

The three of them talk while they drink their coffee and Timmy and Armie each help themselves to another scone. The conversation, surprisingly, feels comfortable and easy. Timmy's not sure what he had expected, but this seemingly easy rapport between Armie and Elizabeth was definitely not it. He can't help but smile. This is so much better than he had hoped for.

Tim looks up as he hears something at the sliding glass door. He had wondered about Archie a couple of times since he'd been here, but with everything that had been going on, he hadn't thought to ask. But there he is, pawing at the door, looking forlorn and very much left out. 

He gets up now and moves to the door with a grin on his face. "Hey, Arch." He turns to look at Elizabeth. "Can I let him in?"

"Of course. I just didn't want him jumping all over us as we were saying hello."

Tim opens the door and squats to greet the dog. "Hey, buddy! How ya doing?" Archie's tail is wagging his whole body and his tongue is all over Tim's face as Tim envelops him in a hug, laughing. "Yeah, I've missed you too." 

Armie chuckles as he stands and moves to greet Archie too, getting a similar tail wag and licking. "Hey, you. Ready to head to your other abode?" Armie explains to Tim that Archie goes where the kids go and so spends time at both places.

When the canine meet-and-greet is over, Ford drags Timmy off to see his dinosaurs while Armie gathers all the kids' stuff. When they're ready to walk out the door, Tim gives Elizabeth another hug and wishes her well on the opening. 

"Thanks, Timmy. It was so good to see you. I hope you won't be a stranger when you're in town." She grimaces. "Sorry again about the peaches."

He laughs. "Hey, it's all good. Pretty funny actually. And I promise I'll always make time to see you whenever I'm here."

Armie tells her they'll call at bedtime and he'll bring the kids back mid-afternoon tomorrow. "Come on, Arch, let's go."

"Sounds good. Love you Hopsey and Ford. Take care, Timmy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I'm aware that Tim didn't even get nominated for _Beautiful Boy_ , a travesty I won't get into here, but this is a work of fiction and so I gave him the Oscar he deserved! :) This is a bit of a transitional chapter, but I promise that the next one will move things forward a few more degrees. Also, I have updated the chapter count as the story keeps expanding. Thanks to everyone who has read, kudo'd or commented. It is much appreciated!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah, the innocence of children! :)

Once they've all settled in back at Armie's place, Timmy presents Harper and Ford with the books he's brought and both are huge hits. He and Armie take turns reading them to the kids. Hops is excited to learn lots of fun things about horses and she tells her dad that for her next birthday, she wants a horse of her own, which earns him a scowl from Armie. Ford keeps pointing at pictures in his new book, shouting, "Triceratops! Brontosaurus! Look, Timmy, Tyrannosaurus! Rrrrrr!" 

After lunch, they head to a nearby park for a bit of energy-burning. Armie is helping as the kids climb the ladder to take turns coming down the spiral slide. Tim is at the bottom of the slide to catch them and everyone is laughing and having fun. After several times down, Ford collects the dinosaurs he's brought with him and runs around the playground screaming, roaring, and play-fighting with them. Hops has moved on to the castle structure, laughing as she climbs a net ladder, runs over the drawbridge, and pokes her head out one of the tower windows.

Armie and Tim have settled on a nearby bench where they can keep a close eye on both kids. They're chatting about nothing in particular when Armie says, "Thanks for the books you brought for the kids, T. It means a lot that you've paid attention to their interests and that you made an effort to choose books that would mean something to each of them."

Tim is surprised but pleased by the comment. "When the important people in your life speak, you listen, right? I don't get enough time with them, so I love it when they tell me about the things they're excited about."

Armie gives him a warm smile. "There are so many things we're going to have to talk about as we navigate this whole 'change in our relationship' thing, but the fact that I have two young kids is one of the biggest. I mean obviously it's 'three for the price of one' here and that's a pretty big fucking deal."

He'd be lying if he said it wasn't something he'd thought about, but today's not the day for that discussion. "Of course I get that we have to talk about it and you're right that it's a big fucking deal, but you know I already love them, right? And I think they like me a little too, so I'd say we're already over one of the biggest hurdles. Once I'm back in New York, we'll have nothing but time to talk through everything that's important to both of us, okay?"

Armie bumps his leg into Tim's as he smiles and nods. "Yeah, you're right, oh wise one. Not something that we need to talk about today. And by the way, they not only like you a little, they adore you."

"Timmy," Harper shouts excitedly from the castle, "come play with me. You can be the prince."

"I rest my case," Armie says with a grin. "She wants you for her prince, not me." 

Tim smiles at Armie as he gets up. "Well at least I've got a bit of experience playing royalty." 

That earns him a loud laugh from Armie as he stands too, offering Tim a sweeping bow before heading off to play with Ford.

Since the day is hot, they spend the rest of the afternoon in the backyard pool. Even Archie joins in, making the kids giggle when he jumps in from the side, paddles over to the steps, climbs out, shakes off, and repeats the process over and over. When Armie suggests ordering pizza for supper, he gets an enthusiastic response from everyone.

The day passes just as quickly as the previous one and before Tim's ready to relinquish them to sleep, it's the kids' bedtime. Pajamas are donned, teeth are brushed, and as he's preparing to say goodnight to them, Armie announces that he has a bedtime surprise for the kids. He's clearly excited about whatever it is as he's wearing a 'you're going to love this' grin that stirs all kinds of warmth inside Tim. Armie leads them all to his bedroom and tells the kids to close their eyes as he reaches to open the door.

"You too, Tim."

Tim just stares at him. "Seriously, dude?"

"Close your eyes, Timmy," Harper implores as she scrunches up her face, trying to shut hers even tighter."

"Come on, Timmy Tim! We're having fun here." The adorable childish look that Armie is sporting right now makes Tim's heart lurch and it's impossible to resist.

He smirks and rolls his eyes before begrudgingly closing them. "Fine." 

"No peeking now," Armie instructs as he leads them all into the room.

"Daddy, I wanna see," Ford whines.

"Okay, buddy. You can all open your eyes now."

When Tim opens his, the sight that greets him causes a surprised intake of breath. The only light in the room is coming from a large white teepee-style tent in one corner. It's almost as tall as Tim, and looks to be about four foot square. Wrapped around the supporting teepee poles inside the tent are strands of clear lights that shine through it. There's a thick, soft pad on the floor and through the opening, Tim can see gold and silver stars hanging at various heights that are reflecting the light from the LEDs. 

Harper and Ford scream excitedly as they run to the tent and climb in, followed closely by Archie who is barking excitedly. Harper laughs happily as she points everything out to Ford and Archie. The kids' excitement is catching and Timmy can't help but smile as he tries to experience it through their eyes. He turns to Armie, smiling and nodding his approval. "Well played, Dad."

Armie grins back. He's clearly enjoying this every bit as much as the kids. His next question is addressed to them. "So, would you guys like to sleep in there tonight?"

"Yes!" they shout in unison.

"Okay, let's go get your pillows and blankets and get you settled in."

Tim trails along as they go first to Harper's room where he and Armie grab bedding while Harper collects a couple of stuffed animals and some books. The same happens in Ford's room. Their arms are all overflowing as they make their way back down the hall.

Back in Armie's room, everything gets thrown into the tent and the kids take up residence, Harper claiming one side, Ford the other. Archie tries to move in too, but Armie calls him out. "Arch, come here, boy. I've got your bed right here. You lay down now and go to sleep." With one last lick to the kids' faces and a tail wag, he wanders over to his bed and settles for the night. 

The kids take their time placing their special things in just the right spots and when they're finished, Harper climbs out and grabs his hand. "Timmy, come in our tent. We can read books."

"Yeah!" Ford echoes.

"Okay, but I'm not sure I'm gonna fit." He gets down on the floor while the kids clamber in, each tucking into one side, leaving space in the middle for him.

"Hey," Armie says. Tim turns just in time to catch the pillow that Armie lobs at him, grinning. "You may want that."

Tim grins back. "Thanks." He tosses the pillow ahead of him as he crawls in. At least the top half of him fits as he lies on his back, head on the pillow, looking up at the stars hanging there. The tiny lights cast a warm glow inside the tent and the stars appear to twinkle as they reflect the light back. With a kid on either side and all of their stuff, it feels very cozy. "Okay, this is seriously cool."

Ford hands him a book about a dragon. "Timmy, will you read this, pease?"

"Sure I will. You asked so nicely." The lights inside the tent easily provide enough light for reading. The kids settle as he reads the dragon book first, followed by one about a unicorn that Harper's chosen. They end with 'Where the Wild Things Are.'

Armie's taken a couple of pictures of them all in the tent as Tim's been reading and as he sets the last book aside, Tim sticks his tongue out, holding up his hand in the 'rock on' sign. Armie laughs and snaps one more. 

While Timmy's crawling back out of the tent, Armie asks, "Are you guys ready to call Mommy to say goodnight?" They both nod and Armie places a Facetime call to Elizabeth, handing the phone off to Harper when she picks up. Harper immediately turns the phone to show Elizabeth the tent.

"Mommy, look at the tent Daddy got us! We're all sleeping in Daddy's room tonight." She scrambles back into the tent with the phone and holds it so Ford can see Elizabeth too.

"Wow, that sounds like fun! But I don't think there's room for all of you in that tent, is there?"

"No. Just me and Ford. Daddy and Timmy are gonna sleep in Daddy's bed." 

"Oh, they are, huh?" 

Timmy laughs, totally embarrassed, and says loud enough for Elizabeth to hear, "Um, Elizabeth, for the record, this is the first I'm hearing about this arrangement."

She laughs. "Timmy, you should know by now that when Hopsey sets her heart on something, you might as well just give in gracefully. Okay, guys, time to say goodnight. Love you both so much."

When the call has ended, Harper says, "Timmy, you need to go get your pajamas on so we can all go to sleep."

"Hops, why don't the three of you sleep in here and I'll just stay in Ford's room, okay?"

Harper sticks her bottom lip out and looks as though she might cry. "Timmy, don't you want to sleep with us?"

Clearly enjoying watching Tim struggle with this dilemma, Armie interjects with a grin, "T., it's a sleepover. You gotta stay."

 _Fuck_ He's so screwed. Obviously, there's nothing he'd like more than to share Armie's bed, but this isn't exactly how he'd envisioned their first time 'sleeping together' would go. And he's not sure he trusts himself enough to behave, even with the kids in the same room, but how can he possibly resist that heartbreaking look Hops is directing at him? 

"Hops, it's okay. Sure I want to stay." He glares at Armie and gets a mock innocent 'what?' look in return. He can't help but smile.

In an attempt to get even, Tim says, "Hey guys, I think it's your daddy's turn to try out the tent, don't you?"

"Yeah! Come on, Daddy!" Harper shouts while Ford nods sleepily and smiles.

Tim chuckles at Armie's attempt to squeeze at least a bit of himself in between them. He sort of manages and settles himself, putting an arm around each one as they talk quietly. Tim's heart melts at the sight, and he snaps a pic of his own. In this moment, he can't imagine anything could be more of a turn on than Armie being basically the best dad ever. He stretches out on his stomach on Armie's bed facing the tent, completely mesmerized by Armie's loving interactions with his kids. 

Armie finally kisses the kids goodnight and awkwardly climbs back out, tossing the extra pillow back onto his bed. Tim gets up to say goodnight to them too. He gives them each a kiss on the forehead, then says, "I'm just gonna go and get ready for bed, okay, Hops? I promise I'll be right back."

"Okay." Her eyes are drooping and he'd be surprised if she wasn't already asleep by the time he returns. Ford looks as though he may already be gone. 

He nods at Armie, indicating that he'll be back as he leaves the room. Armie smiles and nods back as he unplugs the LED lights, plunging the room into darkness. 

Once back in Ford's room Tim plops down on the bed, huffing out a breath. _Fuck._ His thoughts are all over the place and he doesn't have time to process any of them right now. All he can think about is that he'll soon be heading back to Armie's bedroom, potentially sharing a bed with him all fucking night. 

He shakes his head in an attempt to clear his mind as he gets up, changing into sweatpants and a t-shirt before heading to the bathroom. He tends to the necessities and when he finishes, he spends a minute staring into the mirror over the sink. His nerves are trying to get the best of him, but how can he pass this up? It's all very innocent, right? He splashes some water on his face, takes a breath, and makes his way back down the hallway to Armie's room.

Armie's left a soft light on in the master bathroom and cracked the door to provide a bit of a night light in the bedroom, so as Tim enters, he can see that Armie has also changed into sleep pants and a tee. Moving to the bed, Armie throws the covers back and climbs in, settling on his side facing Tim. 

Feeling his nerves flare again, Tim moves to the bed, but only sits on the edge. He turns towards Armie and says in a whisper, "If you think they're both asleep, I can just head back to Ford's room."

The light in the room is enough for him to see the smile and eye roll directed at him. "They're both out like a light right now, but if Hops wakes up in the middle of the night and you're not here, she's gonna have a serious meltdown. Look, I understand and appreciate that you're trying to honor your promise to give me time and space, but I think we can manage to be good for one night and besides," he gives Tim a look that says way more than the words he speaks, "I'd really like you to stay. I mean, only if you want to."

Tim looks at him and his heart soars. He smiles and nods. Truth be told, there's nothing he wants more than to spend the night in Armie's bed. Hell, in his perfect world, he'd be sharing a bed with Armie every night. And though it's strictly platonic bed sharing tonight, it still makes him so goddamn happy. "Of course I want to." He pulls the covers back on the other side of the bed and climbs in. 

They settle down facing each other and in an attempt to ease the tension he's feeling, Tim smiles and whispers, so as not to wake the kids, "You're like the coolest dad on the planet. You know that, right?"

Armie chuckles, clearly pleased with how excited the kids were over his surprise. "I just try to remember some of the things that I loved as a kid and tents were always way cool. Besides, making my babies happy is seriously the best feeling ever." 

Tim nods as he thinks back over the day. "Man, today was so much fun. I mean, it's not like I'm around that many kids, but those two," he tilts his head in the direction of the tent," they're like these incredible little people. They're smart and kindhearted and curious and joyful...they're like little mini versions of different parts of you and it's so fucking amazing to see the love between you all."

Armie is clearly caught off guard by Tim's candid statement and he looks visibly moved. "Wow. I'm not really sure what to say to that. Thank you. They're definitely the best part of me and I'm so blessed to have them. This divorce shit really sucks, but I could never regret a marriage that gave me those two precious beings." 

Wanting to lighten the mood now, Tim grins. "Well, I gotta say, man, watching you interact with them and seeing this soft, tender, protective side of you is more than a bit of a turn on, I'm not gonna lie. Daddy Armie is pretty damn sexy."

Armie laughs out loud before cringing as he realizes he might wake the kids. "Fuck." He continues to chuckle quietly. "Careful, T., your kinks are showing."

"Asshole. That's not what I meant and you know it." 

Armie nods in agreement. "I know, but you can't expect me to resist the smartass comment when you set me up so perfectly."

"True." Tim smiles at him. "S'pose I'd be disappointed if you did."

"I should hope so." They're both quiet for a moment before Armie reaches his hand out, resting it on Tim's arm. "And now, I think we should try to get some sleep because those two will have us up at the crack of dawn."

He can't help feeling disappointed as he'd hoped for more conversation at least, but he nods in understanding. He looks away briefly, trying to focus on the logistics of where exactly on his half of the bed he should sleep, when he suddenly feels Armie's hand move from his arm up to his neck. As they make eye contact again, Armie cups Tim's jaw and gently sweeps his thumb across Tim's lower lip. 

The look of longing he sees in Armie's eyes makes his heart skip a beat and because he has no time to think, he simply reacts. He licks the pad of Armie's thumb before capturing it between his teeth, closing his lips around it, sucking gently. He has no idea how Armie will respond, if it's too much, but he hears a soft moan as Armie leans in, moving his thumb out of the way, to make contact with his lips. 

Tim shudders and draws in a breath as he moves his own hand up to stroke the  
stubble on Armie's cheek as he responds. The kisses are soft, tender, sensual...one kiss...then another...and another. It takes every bit of his willpower not to pull Armie closer, to deepen the kisses, to instigate more, but he allows himself to fully reciprocate everything that Armie is offering. Their last kiss lingers and when Armie finally ends it, he wraps his hand around Tim's wrist, moving Tim's hand from his cheek to his lips, kissing the inside of his wrist first before dropping a final kiss to his palm. 

Feeling breathless and overwhelmed, Tim reluctantly pulls his hand back when Armie releases it. He has no fucking clue what to do now, so he waits for Armie to make the next move and when he does, it catches Tim completely by surprise. Grinning like the Cheshire Cat, Armie asks, "Big spoon or little spoon?" 

_What the fuck?_ It takes him a second to switch gears and to realize what Armie's asking, but when it sinks in, he grins back. "Well, there's really only one logical answer to that question, isn't there?" He rolls away and settles his back against Armie, feeling an arm wrap tightly around his waist, pulling him closer. Jesus, this is so much more than he could have hoped for. And as they move closer still, he feels something else. 

Armie chuckles softly. "Sorry about...uh...."

"Ha-ha. Hey, don't apologize - it's...nice and I'll take whatever I can get. Besides, I've got a matching one in case you have any interest in..." He stops as he realizes what he's doing. "Shit. Sorry. Patient and supportive. Right. I can do that. Besides...the kids. Shit. Are you sure this 'spoon' thing is okay? I can..."

"Tim, just shut up. This was my idea, remember? And it's more than okay. It's...definitely more than okay." Armie drops a kiss to Tim's shoulder.

He smiles as he turns his head to look back at Armie. Armie leans down and presses their lips together again. "Goodnight, Sweet Tea."

"G'night Armz." He waits a beat before adding, "You know, I gotta say, I'm grateful to Harper for requesting a sleepover. I should definitely buy her a present as a thank you for forcing me to sleep in your bed."

Armie laughs far too loudly and Tim cringes as he shushes him. "Shh. Idiot. You're gonna wake the kids."

"Idiot? Seriously?"

"Hey, you told me to shut up a minute ago."

"Fine. And for the record, I like your idea. I'll get her something from both of us. Now go to sleep."

Tim smirks. "Yes, Daddy."

"You...little...shit." Armie's words are punctuated with digs into Tim's side, tickling in just the right spots to make him squeal and squirm.

"Fuck, Armie -stop! Stop! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Okay?" He's trying to whisper, but he knows he's also being louder than he should be.

Armie backs off, but keeps his hand in position to do it again. "Tregua?" 

"Fucker. Yeah, fine. Tregua."

They're both chuckling as they settle back down. Armie wraps his arm around Tim again, pulling him close. Tim reaches back and rests his hand on Armie's bent leg that is tucked behind him. Fuck, if this doesn't feel good. 

"Armie?"

"Hmm?"

"This has been a good day."

Armie squeezes Tim a bit tighter and drops another kiss to his shoulder. "The best. The whole weekend has been surreal. I'm glad we finally got everything out in the open and I promise I'll try not to keep you hanging too long." 

"Hey, it's fine. Honestly. This is so much more than what we've had and just being able to finally talk about 'us' and whatever that might entail is amazing. I'll happily take whatever you're comfortable giving, whenever you're ready to give it."

"Well, I gotta say, this is pretty damn comfortable." He nuzzles his nose into the back of Tim's head.

"Mmm, yeah, agreed. Definitely pretty damn comfortable." And though he doesn't say it out loud, he can't remember ever being more comfortable in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're interested, this is the [tent](https://www.rakuten.com/shop/bestchoiceproducts/product/SKY4023/) I had in mind with the addition of a big, soft pad and lots of stars!


	7. Chapter 7

Armie opens his eyes slowly as he hears the kids start to stir. The room is somewhat light so the sun must be up, but it still feels early. He glances at the clock on the bedside table...6:15. Could be worse. It takes a minute for him to register that an arm is draped over his chest and a warm body is tucked against his side. 

A smile spreads across his face as he wakes enough to recall whom the arm and warm body belong to. He turns his head, taking in the heart-melting view of a peacefully sleeping Timmy. His face is pressed into Armie's shoulder and as he quietly breathes in and out, each soft exhale produces a tickling warmth on Armie's skin. 

A wave of pure happiness washes over him. He honestly can't remember the last time he's felt this content. He'd accepted long ago that he has strong feelings for Tim, but in this instant it's crystal clear to him, without doubt or reservation, that he is deeply and hopelessly in love. And immediately following that revelation is the thought that nothing in his life has ever felt more right.

He huffs out a breath and shakes his head as he lets that sink in. _Holy fuck._ He knows that it should scare the shit out of him, but it doesn't...at all. Because it's Tim and nothing about Tim could ever feel anything but solid, safe, and warm. 

Before he has a chance to reflect any more or to just bask in the joy of having Tim asleep beside him, a scream and then another come from the tent, followed by crying and the sound of two little pairs of feet making their way towards the bed. He can't help but laugh. So much for his life-altering epiphany. The reality of parenthood is that even the big moments in your life are sometimes going to be overshadowed by the trivial ones in your kids'. 

"Daddy!" It's Harper shouting and Ford who is crying. Harper clambers onto the bed from the foot of it and wedges herself between him and Timmy, who is waking up, clearly not coherent yet and confused as to what's happening. 

Ford has run to Armie's side of the bed, raising his arms to be picked up. "Hey, what's going on?" he asks as he lifts Ford into the bed, wrapping an arm around him and murmuring words of comfort in an attempt to stop the tears.

"Ford stepped on me and it hurt." She's got a scowl on her face and her arms are crossed in front of her as she shoots angry looks at her brother.

"I'm sure he didn't mean to, baby." Based on Ford's tears, it's obvious that Harper retaliated. "Can you tell my why Ford is crying."

She looks down as she answers. "I don't know."

"Harper Grace, tell me the truth, please." He can see Tim is more awake now and doing his best not to smile.

She looks guilty and sticks her bottom lip out in a pout. "I guess maybe I punched him."

Clearly no damage has been done and Ford's tears are subsiding. He glances at Tim and their eyes meet in mutual amusement. Ford has seen that Timmy's awake and makes a move in his direction. Tim opens his arms with a smile and Ford moves to settle on top of him. The sweetness and the tenderness of that gesture on Tim's part causes all kinds of warm feelings to bubble up inside him.

He sits up now, giving his daughter a stern look. "You know that was wrong, don't you?"

She nods, looking close to tears herself now. 

"And what do we say when we do something wrong?" 

Barely above a whisper she says, "Sorry."

"And are you really sorry?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"Okay, so can you tell your brother?"

She looks at Ford, who is comfortably resting on Tim's chest, his eyes focused on Armie and Harper.

"I'm sorry, Ford." She reaches out sweetly and touches his arm. He nods before turning his head the other way.

"That was very nice, sweetheart." Armie smiles at her, reaching out to pull her into a hug as he lies back down, settling her on top of him. Time to change the subject.

"So did you like sleeping in the tent?"

She nods. "It was fun, but I got scared once when I didn't remember where I was. I climbed out and saw you and Timmy and then it was okay." 

"That's good. I'm glad you found us. Do you want to sleep some more or are you ready to get up?"

"I'm not sleepy, I'm hungry."

"Well, we better do something about that." He glances over at Tim and Ford and his heart melts. Ford has turned back so that he's facing them again and both he and Tim have their eyes closed. Tim is running a hand slowly up and down Ford's back in a soothing motion, as though it's the most natural thing in the world for him to be doing. It feels like one of those perfect moments when everything is exactly how it's meant to be. Tim here in his bed with him, waking up with the kids...fuck, yeah...he wants this every day for the rest of his life. He smiles as he turns back to Harper. "You go potty, sweetheart, and then you can help Daddy make pancakes." 

"Okay." She hops down and runs off down the hall.

Armie climbs out of bed and walks around to Tim's side, sitting in the little space available. Tim opens his eyes and looks up, a sleepy smile on his face. He continues to rub Ford's back and it looks as though Ford has fallen back to sleep.

"Sorry about the rude awakening. I'm afraid it's par for the course with kids."

"I don't mind. I like sharing this stuff with you guys." He pauses before adding, "You handled that well."

"Yeah, well, with two, you get plenty of practice sorting out squabbles and jealousy." 

Armie leans down and kisses the back of Ford's head. And because he can't resist doing so, he cards a hand through Tim's curls and kisses him softly on the lips. 

"Mmm, nice." Tim has a contented look on his face. "I could get used to this."

Harper suddenly bursts back into the room. "Daddy, I went potty and I'm ready to make pancakes."

"Good girl. Now can you do one more thing for me?"

She nods. 

"Can you let Archie out into the backyard and I'll be there in a minute, okay?"

She nods again. "Come on, Archie." She turns and runs back down the hall with the dog trailing close behind.

He turns back to Tim, picking up where they were interrupted. "That makes two of us. I absolutely want to get used to this. Waking up with you beside me and seeing you here with Ford like this...it's..." He sighs, shaking his head because he just can't find the words to express what he's feeling. 

Tim seems to understand, reaching out to rest a hand on Armie's leg as he gazes up at him, his eyes full of what Armie can only describe as love. "Bliss, maybe?"

Armie nods as he smiles and reaches out to cover Tim's hand with his own. "Yeah. Turns out it's not that hard to find once you figure out where to look." He wishes he could crawl back in bed with them, but he knows Harper's waiting. He squeezes Tim's hand before letting go and making a move to stand. "We'll come get you two sleepy heads when breakfast is ready." 

Timmy smiles and nods. He wraps his arm back around Ford, pulling him closer, gently kissing the top of the little blond head resting on his chest before closing his eyes again.

Armie fully expects his heart to beat out of his chest and is actually surprised when it doesn't. He takes one last long look at them before he turns and walks out the door.

 

****

*****

He lets Harper serve the pancakes they've made and Tim makes a fuss over them.

"Hops, these are really good. Did you make them all by yourself?" 

Even though he hasn't had a lot of experience around kids, he seems so natural and comfortable with them and Hops and Ford clearly adore him, which makes Armie smile. Why should they be any different than the rest of the world? 

Harper beams at the compliment and he can see she's conflicted over taking full credit or telling the truth. She opts for a middle ground. "No. Daddy helped some." Tim looks up at him and they share their amusement at her response.

"Well, you did a good job. I bet you'll be helping your mommy in the bakery before long." 

"I already do sometimes. She says I'm a good helper."

"I bet you are. And when Ford's a little older, he'll be a good helper too, won't you, bud?"

Ford nods as he stabs a piece of pancake and shoves it into his mouth, excess syrup dripping down his chin as he valiantly tries to lick it all off, which makes them all laugh.

Once they've finished breakfast and everyone's done their part to help clean up, Harper turns back to Tim. "Timmy?"

"Yes, my princess?" That garners a giggle from her and makes Armie laugh.

"Will you read us another book before you go?"

"Sure, but I need to shower and get my stuff ready to go first. I won't have a lot of time, so you guys will have to pick just one book that you'd both like, okay? 

"Okay."

"All right, you two, "Armie says as he rounds them up. "Let's go get you guys dressed and then you can play in the tent until Timmy's ready to read to you."

 

****

*****

Armie has just finished showering and getting dressed when Tim comes back into the bedroom. He's dressed in yesterday's black jeans, but he's now wearing a simple long-sleeved gray t-shirt the hugs his body in all the right places. _Jesus._ He could wear a fucking garbage bag and he'd still be stunning. Clearly what he's thinking is written all his face as Tim laughs at him. His gaze, in return, sweeps over Armie. His tongue sneaks out to moisten his lips as he nods in apparent appreciation. Tim's eyes linger a moment longer before he squats down to talk to the kids in the tent. 

"Wow, you guys have been so patient. Thank you. Have you picked out a book?"

"Uh-huh," Ford answers and Harper holds up 'Fox in Socks.'

"Oh, that's a good one. Okay, now can you guys do one more thing for me? Can you play quietly for just a bit longer so that I can talk to your Daddy for a few minutes before we read?" 

They both nod and return to whatever game they are playing.

Tim stands and starts down the hall, motioning for Armie to follow. He leads him to Ford's room and shuts the door behind them. Armie is glad to have this last little bit of time alone. "Thanks for giving us a chance to say goodbye in private."

"I couldn't just casually walk out the door. The thing is, I know I promised to be patient and wait until you're ready, and I absolutely will, but since we're together now and we may not be again for a while, I was hoping that you might let me take something with me to remind me of you when we're not together."

"Well you haven't got much room in that backpack to take anything with you, so do you mean like a pair of sock or something?" 

Tim makes a face and laughs. "What? No. Where the hell did that come from? That's just weird and gross."

Armie laughs too. "What, so you think my socks are gross?"

Tim smiles and shakes his head. "Well, the dirty ones, yeah. Anyway, that's definitely not what I had in mind."

"Okay. So what do you want? A shirt like Billowy?"

Tim is looking at the floor. "Actually, I was hoping that you might let me kiss you goodbye, properly, so I'll have that memory to take with me." He looks up now and they make eye contact. "I mean our kisses last night and this morning were nice - much more than nice, actually, but I'm talking about a special kiss. I'm thinking something along the lines of, 'It's their last night together and they kiss passionately against a wall in Bergamo' kiss. This is gonna have to last me a while, you know." 

Armie laughs and nods as he reaches out, caressing Tim's cheek. "It also needs to be one that will remind _me_ of exactly what's waiting for me once I manage to get my shit together."

"That too." He glances up at Armie, a bit shy and hesitant now, but the desire in his eyes is unmistakable and even if Armie wanted to deny him, which he doesn't, there's no way he could. 

"Well, I guess we can't send you home empty-handed." 

He realizes what he's said at the same instant that Tim laughs deviously, rubbing his hands together and glancing at Armie's crotch, "Ah, even better than I'd hoped."

Armie laughs too as he shakes his head. "No, no." He lifts Tim's chin so that his gaze moves from his crotch and they are making eye contact again. "Not that I'm not interested, but you know that's not what I meant."

"Sadly, I do know, but you can't expect _me_ to resist the smartass comment when you set it up, can you?"

"No, but I think we're wasting time here."

"I couldn't agree more." Tim makes a move forward, but Armie holds up a finger to say, 'just a sec'. He opens the door, looking toward his bedroom to check that the kids are still doing okay. When he sees them both still playing quietly in the tent, he shuts the door and steps closer to Tim. He reaches his hand out, wrapping it around Tim's neck, pulling him forward. 

Meanwhile, Tim has brought both hands up to capture Armie's face and as soon as their lips meet, it's clear that this kiss will be nothing like their brief kisses from the last few hours. There's an intensity and an urgency to this one and it feels as though a powerful electrical current is surging between them. He's only ever felt this once before and that had been that night in Bergamo. 

All of the complex emotions he had experienced that night come rushing back to him. It had been one of the last scenes they had shot and because of that, and because of the direction from Luca that that kiss was meant to be a special one, he had wondered if he might allow himself to think of it as kissing Tim rather than Elio. 

He had sensed at the time that Tim was reeling as much as he was and they just couldn't seem to get it right. Luca had pulled them aside and told them that they needed to let go of whatever was holding them back. He had said that they should allow themselves to use the pain and sadness they were both feeling at the end of this experience to inform this scene and that they must let every emotion they were experiencing get channeled into that kiss. 

When Luca had left them alone, they hadn't said a word to each other, but their eyes had locked together and it had felt as if volumes had been spoken between them. They had both nodded, a silent agreement reached. 

They retook their places and when Luca called, 'action', he and Tim had completely opened to one another. What passed between them as they had kissed against the wall that last time had felt extraordinary and private and so fucking honest. Armie had deliberately moved his arm to block the camera and spun them around so that Tim's back was to it. It had become their moment and it had been the most memorable kiss he had ever shared with anyone.

With all of that flashing through his mind in seconds, he refocuses on the present and pours all of that emotion into this kiss. Tim responds in kind and Armie can only assume he's remembering that night as well. Tim pulls back briefly, caressing Armie's cheek as he smiles up at him, his eyes revealing the deep emotion he's clearly feeling. He slowly moves in again, playfully nipping at Armie's bottom lip, tugging gently before capturing Armie's mouth again, but this time in a kiss that is so full of hunger and desire, it leaves Armie breathless and weak-kneed. He's honestly not sure how his legs are still able to hold him up. 

Fuck, he's so done with restraint. He moves a hand between them, cupping Tim's cock through his jeans, smiling into the kiss as Tim gasps. "I believe the line here is, 'Am I offending you?"

Tim thrusts up hard into his hand, moaning as he answers. "Fuck. No. Definitely not." He kisses and gently bites Armie's neck between words. "Offended is absolutely not what I'm feeling here." 

Their lips reconnect and as Tim deepens the kiss and moves to reciprocate Armie's grope, they hear Harper running down the hall towards them. "Timmy! Where are you? We're waiting."

"Fuck," Tim utters quietly on an exhale before stepping back, trying to catch his breath. He speaks loud enough for Harper to hear through the door. "I'm coming, Hops. I'll be there in a minute, okay?"

"Can you hurry, please?" 

"Yeah, I will. I'll be right there, I promise." Tim waits until he's sure she's is not going to open the door before moving back to Armie. They look at each other and laugh before Tim leans in for one more quick kiss. As he does so, he reaches down and grabs Armie's crotch with one hand and his ass with the other, giving both a firm knead before stepping back and it's Armie's turn to gasp. 

Tim grins at him as he steps away, squeezing the base of his cock before reaching for the doorknob. " _Now_ I won't go home empty-handed." 

Armie laughs out loud as he adjusts himself before following Tim out of the room.

 

****

*****

Saying goodbye is so much harder than he had prepared himself for. They'd barely had time to acknowledge their feelings for each other, let alone comprehend or explore them. It's just too soon. And with the kids there and the car waiting, it feels as though they're being forced to act out a scene - playing their roles of good friends parting ways after a pleasant weekend when the truth is so much more than that.

Tim says goodbye to Ford first, picking him up and hugging him tight. "See you soon my dinosaur buddy, okay?"

Ford nods and wraps his arms around Tim. "Bye, Timmy." 

Tim sets Ford down and turns to Harper who is in tears as she hugs Timmy goodbye. "Aw, don't cry, Princess," Tim says as he wipes away her tears. "We'll see each other again soon, okay?"

She nods as she sniffles and they hold each other tight for a minute. 

He realizes Tim is facing him now and suddenly it's his turn. They hug briefly, Tim grabbing the back of his shirt as Armie leans in to whisper, "I wish we had more time. Call me when you're home and settled?" Tim nods in response. They make eye contact briefly as they pull back and Armie sees the same sad and frustrated look in Tim's eyes that he's sure Tim sees in his. 

Tim picks up his backpack and makes his way to the car, throwing it into the backseat as he turns to wave one more time.

"Love you guys. I'll see you soon, okay?"

Armie and the kids smile and wave until the car is out of sight. His insides are churning, but he knows he needs to rally for the kids so he makes an effort. "It was fun having Timmy here, wasn't it? I'm sure we'll see him again soon. So, what shall we do this afternoon?"

The kids seem content to move on, while all he can do is focus on putting one foot in front of the other and wish he could remember how to suck air into his lungs and let it out again. As they walk back into the house, he pulls his phone out and sends a quick text. _Fuck, T., I miss you so much already. *broken heart emoji*_

The reply comes immediately. _Fuck, yeah, me too, man. *heart eyes emoji* *loudly crying emoji*_ _Any chance you might be able to make it to NYC sometime soon? Sorry...know that's not being patient. Can't help it._

He smiles, knowing that the next time they're together, there'll be no holding back and he's absolutely okay with that.

_It's fine. I feel the same. Text when you land and call tonight and we'll talk about it. *red heart emoji*_


	8. Chapter 8

Tim unlocks his apartment door, dropping his backpack on the floor as he steps inside. The apartment is dark, but instead of turning on the bright entryway light, he stumbles over to the sofa to switch on a lamp on an end table that gives off a much softer glow.

He'd put the solar shades down before he'd left and he reaches for the remote now to open them. As the nighttime Manhattan skyline slowly unfolds before him, his breath catches. Even though it's been several months since he'd moved into this place, it's still surreal as fuck to think that he can afford to live in an apartment in a high-rise in West Midtown with such a stunning view. 

Between the flight time and the time change, it's already close to ten and he's got to be up early tomorrow for the last week of rehearsals. He has no interest in food, but he goes to the fridge and pulls out a beer, hoping that it will help him unwind. He throws himself down on the sofa as he reaches for his phone, scrolling to place a Facetime call.

It rings only once before Armie picks up. He looks about like Tim feels.

"Hey. How was the flight?"

"Same as hundreds of other flights, except that this one was taking me away from you." 

Armie sighs. "Yeah, it was a hell of a lot harder than I thought it would be to watch you drive off this morning." He pauses as he shakes his head. "I guess I had myself convinced that we could have this really amazing time together and lay our cards on the table and be happy and excited about the future and then you'd go back to New York and your play and I'd get back to my responsibilities and we'd carry on with our lives until we could both commit to something more solid between us. I honestly thought it would be fine. Pretty fucking stupid of me, huh?" 

Tim snorts and rolls his eyes. "Well I gotta tell you, man, I don't think it was one of your more well thought out plans, no. Last week, I was relatively content, getting on with life, looking forward to this play and feeling like I was in the zone for a while, you know? And now...fuck. I'm all over the place. Distraction level is through the roof.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, in spite of all that, I definitely don't want to go back to last week. I _am_ happy and excited and looking forward to what comes next. It's just that this in between time is gonna suck. Like...a lot."

Armie nods. 'You're right. It is."

"This play's obviously gonna keep me busy and I've got a bunch of other stuff going too, so it's not like I'll be sitting around moping all the time, but I'm definitely gonna spend a lot of time every day missing you and wishing we were together."

"And I'll be doing exactly the same." He takes a deep breath. "I'm really sorry, Tim. If I had been foresighted enough to realize how fucking hard this was going to be, I probably would have kept my mouth shut for a while longer."

Tim's reaction is immediate. "Armie, do you really think I'd rather you hadn't told me how you feel? Fuck, I've been waiting three years to hear that. In spite of the fact that there'll be some tough times to deal with for a while, I would never, ever wish you'd kept silent. We're in this together now and we'll get through it together, okay?"

Armie appears to be struggling for composure. "Yeah, okay." He looks down so that Tim can't see his face.

Tim's feeling just as emotional as he continues with reassurances. "Look, it hasn't even been 24 hours since we've been apart. It's bound to get easier. Besides, what's that saying...'nothing worth having comes easy?' I'm willing to wait and to miss you and to hurt and to struggle sometimes to get through the days we're apart, because you're _so_ fucking worth it."

When Armie looks up, Tim can see that his eyes have filled with tears. He doesn't try to hide them. "Fuck, Tim, I have no idea what I've done in my life to deserve you."

Tim's heart swells and he wishes so badly that he could just reach out and touch him. "Yeah, well get used to it, 'cause you're stuck with me now."

Armie sniffles once, laughing as he nods. "Good to know." He's quiet for a minute before he adds, "So can I say one more thing?"

Tim takes a sip of his beer. "You can always say whatever you want to me."

"Okay, so, being with you this weekend was not only incredible, but it actually helped resolve a few issues for me. I mean, I've been doing okay with everything...handling it all, but there've certainly been times when I was feeling sorry for myself too and second-guessing the whole divorce decision. Wondering if I might have been better off sticking it out and living a sort of half-life."

Tim's tired enough that he's not sure what Armie's saying exactly. Is he saying that he's regretting the decision to divorce? "Wait. What?" 

"And then you came and we talked and I realized that all this shit absolutely needed to happen. We had less than 48 hours together, but it was enough to convince me that settling for something because it's easier or safer than reaching for what you really want is so fucking wrong. 

"After you left, I starting thinking about the times I've been the happiest over the last couple of years and apart from times I've spent with my kids, every other moment of pure happiness and contentment I could come up with was a time I was with you. I'd go through every bit of this turmoil and heartache again, plus a whole lot more if it meant, at the end of it all, I get to be with you, because you're worth it all, T. You're worth everything."

Now it's his turn to feel the sting of tears in his eyes and he makes an effort to blink them back. "Fuck, Armie." A single tear escapes and he swipes at it, smiling as he shakes his head in embarrassment. "Jesus, we're quite the pair, huh?"

Armie returns the smile warmly. "We are, actually. Look, we're clearly both feeling a bit raw tonight, but that's understandable. I know you're tired and we covered a lot of emotional ground this weekend, but I just needed you to know how I feel." 

Tim nods as he takes a minute to get himself under control. "So, can I say some things too, even if it breaks the 'giving you space and time' restriction?" 

Armie chuckles as he shakes his head. "I think it's fair to say that the whole 'needing time' thing was the second part of me being pretty fucking stupid. I don't want time; I just want to be with you. But unfortunately, right now you're there and I'm here and I sure as hell don't want to waste another minute pretending that I'm fine with that because I'm not. But, as you so wisely pointed out, it _will_ get easier and we'll get through it together a day at a time. 

"From here on out though, I want you to feel free to say whatever you need or want to say, whenever you want to say it. I think that after three years of frustration and restraint and uncertainty and denial, we've both earned that right. So no holds barred. Anything goes, okay?"

Tim lets out a relieved sigh, nodding. "Yeah, okay...good. 'Cause, man, I would have really tried to hold back for you, but I gotta be honest - I don't know how successful I would have been. It feels like I've been doing that for so fucking long already." 

"I know you have." He grins. "So knock yourself out. I'm all ears."

Tim takes another sip of his beer as he thinks about what he wants to say. "So, first of all, everything you just said means so much and I feel the same way. I know there's a long list of reasons why we need to proceed with caution here, but there are some things that are just so worth dealing with shit over. And the possibility of being with you is definitely one of them. 

"God, Armie, I've tried so fucking hard to get over you so many times. I mean, obviously, work was always gonna be my priority right now, but it's really helped being able to throw myself into all that. And as you're very aware, I've tried dating other people too, but at a certain point, I had to face the reality that even in the one or two relationships I had that felt good and made me happy, at the end of the day, those people weren't you."

Armie is watching him closely, not interrupting and allowing him to have his say.

He chuckles. "Sorry, I'm kinda all over the place here, but you said to let it all out."

"Absolutely, I want to hear everything."

"Okay, well, do you remember the last time we were together before this weekend?"

"Of course I do. It was early May and you were a newly minted Oscar winner and in spite of the fact that the paps were following you everywhere, you managed to get us a quiet, low-key dinner together in an amazing restaurant in the East Village. That was such a great night."

Tim smiles at the memory as he nods. "Yeah, you probably remember that the place is owned by a good friend of Giullian's dad and he totally took care of us...letting us in and out the back door, setting us up in a secluded alcove, and making sure that everyone who worked that night kept their mouths shut. I made sure to send him a very special thank-you gift and I still pimp his restaurant every chance I get. Man, that night was so fucking amazing." 

He pauses, unsure if he should continue with what he'd been planning to say, but if they were really going to do this, they should be completely open and honest. "So, this is gonna sound cheesy and pathetic, but that night, I pretended we were on a real date because I was convinced that pretense was all I'd ever have and I just...well, I just needed one night to believe that it was real and to experience all of the joy of that, you know?" He looks at Armie, waiting to see amused reproach in his eyes, but he sees nothing but warmth and affection.

"Yeah? So how did the date end?"

He knows he's blushing now, but Armie is playing along and what the hell? Why shouldn't he tell him? "How do you think? We went back to my place and fucked our brains out."

Armie laughs now and says in a low voice, "Well then, I propose that the first chance we get, we recreate that date, only this time, we'll go with your ending. But how about, instead of fucking our brains out, we make mad, passionate love all night long?"

He wasn't expecting that, but it fills him with happiness and makes him smile. "Yeah, I like that much better and I'm gonna hold you to that, Mr. Hammer."

"Good, because it's gonna happen. And since we're being honest, I'd planned to tell you that night about the divorce, but we were having such a wonderful time and it just felt so fucking good to be with you and to forget about everything for one night, I just couldn't ruin it."

Tim nods, as he lets that sink in. "Well, you hid it well, I had no idea. It was all so relaxed and perfect. In fact, thinking about that night has gotten me through some rough times the last few months and you're right, that discussion would have totally killed it, so I really appreciate the fact that you waited."

You're welcome, but as usual, I was mostly being selfish. So, anyway...what else have you got? Surely after three years you've got lots more to say?"

Tim laughs. "Far too much for one night, but I do have one more thing that's been hanging over me."

Armie smiles. "Go for it."

He takes a breath and lets it out again slowly. "Okay. Honestly, I don't know why I'm telling you this other than to ease my guilty conscience a bit I guess." He hesitates for just a minute but decides he needs to continue. "I mean, I knew you guys had been having some problems, but I hadn't realized how serious they were. So, when you called that night to tell me you were getting divorced, it was a total shock. And the thing is..."

Tim can't really read Armie's expression, but his words are encouraging. "It's okay. Go ahead and tell me." 

Getting this off his chest feels oddly liberating, but at the same time, difficult and painful. "Man, you're gonna think this is so inappropriate and disloyal."

Armie holds his gaze, refusing to allow him to fudge. "Tim, trust me, I won't. Whatever it is, just tell me, please?"

He looks down briefly, stalling as he works up his courage. "Well, right after you told me - before I had a chance to absorb it all and to fully acknowledge how much pain you must be in, my first reaction was...elation. I'm so sorry, but all I could think about was that finally, _finally_ , after so fucking long, there was a chance that I might get what I'd wanted so badly. 

"Fuck, I wouldn't blame you for hating me for that. I mean, the minute you really needed me to step up and be a friend, all I could think about was myself. Obviously, I did my best to bury those thoughts and to be there for you, but I guess I just needed you to know that I'm a selfish asshole at heart. I'm really sorry." 

Armie nods. "I see." He looks down; clearly mulling that over and now Tim's in a total panic. _Fuck, why the hell did I tell him? This is it. He's gonna hate me now._

When Armie looks back up again, he's smiling. "First of all, of course I don't hate you. I'd kiss you if I could."

Tim is sure his mouth has dropped open as he stares in disbelief. "What?"

"Tim, think about it for a minute and realize that what you were feeling was perfectly natural and to be honest, not much different than what I was feeling myself. Believe me, I've been living with plenty of guilt of my own for thinking basically the same thing. I was breaking up my family, but I couldn't stop thinking about you. So, if you're a selfish asshole, what does that make me?"

Tim laughs "Yeah, well, I guess that means that at least I'm not alone in my self-loathing. Still, I'm not proud of myself. I try to be a better person than that." 

"You are an amazing person, T., and if I get started on all the good things about you, I'll be talking all night. So, anything else?"

"Plenty, but I think that's enough heavy discussion for one night, don't you?"

"Yeah. But we should probably talk about me coming to New York. I'm not sure..."

Tim interrupts as he's been giving this a lot of thought over the last few hours. "No, Armie, you shouldn't come now. I'm sorry for that text. That was just me being needy, but it's better if we do actually give ourselves a little time. Previews start on Friday and I've really got to keep my head in the game for that. Plus, don't you have something coming up?"

"Yeah, I leave a week from today for two - three weeks in Vancouver for that Disney thing I'm doing."

"Okay, so let's just hang in there for a while. When you get back from Canada, we can talk about it again. By then, I'll be settled in the play and hopefully, by then, we'll have had plenty of opportunities to talk through some of the issues and complications we're gonna have to deal with."

Armie smiles. "Why is it that you're always the adult in the room? But yeah, you're absolutely right. And we do have important things to talk about, like my kids and your career."

" _Our_ careers, Armie. Mine doesn't take priority over yours. The reality is that we're going to have to have some serious discussions long distance, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. We can both get stuff out there that we need to talk about and then we have time on our own to digest it all. Obviously, it would be nice if we could have those discussions in person, but at least Facetime's a workable alternative." 

"It is, but I wish someone would invent a version that allowed us to touch each other."

Tim laughs. Fuck, yeah, I'd be all for that."

Armie looks sheepish. "Sorry. I'm not trying to make this harder than it is, I just fucking miss you. Anyway, you need to get some sleep." Armie takes a deep breath and gives him a look that conveys so much. "I've got a couple of meetings tomorrow, but call when you get a break in rehearsal. If I don't pick up, it's only because I can't. But we'll talk tomorrow night if not before, okay?"

Tim nods, suddenly feeling emotionally and physically drained. "Yeah. Fuck, I really wish you were here. Sorry...sorry."

Armie chuckles. "Believe me, I wish I was too. Good night, my sweet T."

"G'night, babe. Hey, I just had a thought."

"What's that?"

"Well, since you call your kids every night that you aren't with them, maybe we can do something similar? Given both our schedules, we won't always get to talk, but at least a text if nothing else to say goodnight?"

"Yeah, I'd like that very much. Tonight will be the first and whenever we can, we'll Facetime."

Tim nods as he yawns. "Definitely, because I'm gonna need to see your face as often as possible."

"Ditto, now go to bed. And by the way, did you just call me 'babe'?"

Tim feels his cheeks flush. "Yeah, I think I did. Sorry, it just slipped out."

Armie's grinning broadly. "No, I like it. In fact, I like it a lot. And for the record, I wasn't referring to your Chinese fans' endearment 'Sweet Tea'. I was calling you my sweet 'capital T'. _My_ sweet T."

Tim grins back, nodding. "Haha. Nice. Well the sweet part is debatable, but I'm definitely yours."

"Not debatable at all. Okay, this is the last time I'm gonna say it - go to bed. I'll talk to you tomorrow. I'm hanging up now. Goodnight, _my_ sweet T."

"'Night, babe." Tim's still smiling as Armie ends the call. He takes the last sip of his beer and carries the bottle to the kitchen, where he quickly rinses it out and throws it in the recycling bin. He stoops to grab his backpack on the way back to his bedroom, hoping like hell that he's exhausted enough to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, increasing the chapter count - sorry, but these guys are making it difficult to stick with my estimates. Hopefully the last change...I don't know...maybe...we'll see...


	9. Chapter 9

He had been in a meeting with his agent when Tim had called mid-afternoon so apart from texts, this evening's Facetime call is the first chance they've had to talk today. Timmy seems to be in a good mood and they spend some time catching each other up on their days before Armie shares his news.

"So Luca called today. He's going to be in town on Thursday and he wants to have lunch."

Tim smiles. "Yeah? That's great. Wish I could be there."

"Yeah, me too, and not just for the lunch. Anyway, I wondered what you thought about me talking to him about us? Or fuck, I don't know, it's probably too soon, right? I mean there's really not much to talk about yet since we're still pretty much a couple in name only at this point."

Tim is quiet for a minute, going poker-faced. "You mean we haven't had sex yet."

That catches him off-guard and seems like a weird response. "Well, no, I mean...yeah, but that's not..."

"So, you're worried the sex is gonna be bad and that'll be the end of us?"

"What?" He's completely baffled by Tim's response. How the hell did this conversation suddenly turn from lunch with Luca to bad sex? 

"Well, obviously sex is a big deal in a relationship and what if it totally sucks?" 

Exasperation has taken over. "Are you fucking kidding me right now?"

Timmy suddenly laughs. "Ha-ha, yeah, I am, actually. There's no way in hell sex with you is gonna suck. Well, I mean, I'm sure there'll be some sucking involved, but only the good kind."

 _Jesus Fucking Christ._ Armie shakes his head, half amused and half irritated. "You know, you can be an annoying little shit sometimes."

Tim's still chuckling. "Yeah, but I'm now _your_ annoying little shit and besides, it's one of my more endearing qualities, don't you think?" 

Armie can't help but laugh, deciding to join in Tim's good mood. "Right, yeah, because I really enjoy you being a fucking smartass when I'm trying to have a serious conversation."

Tim now assumes a self-satisfied grin. "We both know you love it, and since you're there and I'm here, I can be as annoying as I want and you can't launch a tickling attack on me."

He's not wrong. Armie _does_ love his smartass side and it's always a good excuse to tickle which means getting his hands on him. God, he wishes he could get his hands on him now. "Yeah, well fuck you, Tim - O - Tay."

Timmy's expression quickly transforms to raised eyebrows and a smirk. "Fuck me, eh? Well, correct me if I'm wrong, Armand, but isn't that what this whole discussion is about? Or fuck _you_ maybe? Or, I don't know, I'd kinda like to try it both ways? What do you think?"

"Jesus, Tim. What the hell? How much weed have you had?" He's still shaking his head, not believing that this conversation is happening, let alone how it's going down. He makes an attempt to get things back on track. "Okay, look, if we're going to have the 'sex' discussion, and I'm perfectly fine with that, in fact I actually think we should, can we maybe be a little more serious about it?"

Tim sobers. "Yeah. Yeah, of course, sorry. Actually, no weed at all, I'm just in a good mood and I was having some fun." He flashes a radiant smile. "I guess after all of the intense emotions from the weekend and yesterday, I finally let excitement and happiness take over today. Fuck, Armie, I've felt ten feet off the ground all day and for better or worse, that means my smartass side tends to come out." 

"And, by the way," he continues, "just because we're sort of an 'us' now, even if it _is_ still pretty much in name only, doesn't mean that I'm gonna stop winding you up because that's just way too much fun. So, I agree that we should have a 'sex' discussion and now's as good a time as any. I promise I'll be serious. Okay, where do you want to start?"

Armie thinks for a minute. "How about we start with the basics?" He hasn't prepared at all for this conversation, but he's determined to be as honest as possible. "You've probably assumed this, but since we've never talked about it, I will confirm that, aside from a few kisses and a couple of awkward, fumbled hand jobs with this guy in high school, and the little interaction you and I have had, I've never done anything remotely sexual with a guy, so that's going to be new for me. I guess my lack of experience in that area feels a little weird, but that in no way translates to fear or intimidation. I'm definitely looking forward to exploring that part of this relationship with you." He can see that Tim is totally focused and listening intently. "So, what about you?"

"Well, a little more than you, I guess. I've been on either the giving or receiving end of blow jobs - a dozen times maybe? I've had one experience with a bit more...exploration, but that's it. No penetration either way, but I'm also very much looking forward to all of it with you."

God this feels like such a strange conversation to be having and if he's being honest, he has to admit that he's surprised that Tim's experience with guys is not more 'complete.' Armie's been very aware of the couple of semi-serious, public relationships with girls that Tim has had, but he had always wondered about guys. There'd certainly never been any that had been public, but Armie had assumed that there had at least been some. 

While they were filming that summer, the two of them had talked in generalities about sexuality and where they saw themselves on that spectrum, but they'd avoided any specifics. Tim had said that he was definitely attracted to both men and women, but that he was uncomfortable with labels and he felt that he was still growing and evolving in many ways, including sexually.

Armie had admitted to attractions to men in the past, but given his upbringing, he'd always tried to suppress those feelings. He'd met Liz when he was 22, and that was pretty much it for him...until that summer in Italy with Tim and Luca, which had taught him so much more about himself. 

"Can I ask...?" He lets the sentence hang as he's not really sure exactly what it is he's trying to resolve in his mind.

"Armie, I told you. You can ask me anything. What do you want to know?"

He takes a minute to decide how to phrase it. "Well, it sounds like you've had at least one opportunity with a guy where you could have taken things further, so I guess I'm curious...why didn't you? Obviously, that's a very personal question and please don't feel like you have to answer if you'd rather not, okay?"

Tim shakes his head. "No, it's fine. I don't mind." He thinks for a minute. "I guess the honest answer is that for me, that level of intimacy is not something I take lightly, regardless of the gender of the person. And I'm talking about the emotional intimacy as much as the physical. Call me old-fashioned, but if I'm going to share such an intimate thing with someone, it's important for me to feel connected to that person in some way." 

He quickly clarifies. "That doesn't mean that I need to be madly in love with someone to have sex with them, but there has to at least be some level of emotional connection. A few of the girls I've had sex with have been friends and nothing more, but we _were_ friends and we were always clear up front that it was a sort of 'friends with benefits' thing. 

"I think it's a little different with guys because, let's face it, guys are just wired differently. You know what I mean. And because of that, I'm perfectly fine with random blow jobs strictly for the sake of getting off."

Armie is listening carefully and so far, everything Tim is saying makes a lot of sense.

"So the guy I was with where we took things a bit further was someone I was attracted to and definitely had a connection with. But when it came down to it, having full-on sex with a guy, for some reason, felt significant or more important in a way and I just needed it to be more than a 'friend' relationship. I'm not explaining this very well, but I guess what I needed was for the first time with a guy to be something...special?" He smiles as he gives Armie a suggestive look. "Maybe, subconsciously, I just needed it to be with you."

Armie's suddenly flooded with warmth and happiness and intense arousal all at the same time. And surprisingly, there's an unmistakable sense of relief. He smiles back. "Wow. Okay. That's...nice and...a bit unexpected, to be honest. And since you've been so open and up front, I'll be the same. I've gotta tell you, Tim, that I'm selfishly very glad that you've never had that experience with anyone else because it means it will be something that we'll be able to share for the first time together."

"Yeah, I'm glad about that too. That one relationship happened less than a year ago and I'm not gonna lie, part of the reason I didn't go further physically or emotionally with him was because of you, which is all kinds of fucked up, right? I mean, you were married and as far as I knew, there'd never be anything between us, but I still couldn't do it. It felt like I was cheating on you, which means I was totally fucked, without actually being fucked."

Tim shakes his head, offering a self-deprecating smile. "It was different with girls because you were married and I didn't feel like I was doing anything that you weren't doing, so that's what I focused on." He pauses. "Anyway, I'm happy now that I made that decision, even though at the time, I probably shouldn't have."

He looks down briefly before locking eyes with Armie again and Armie can see the distress just below the surface. "So, I know I said now would be an okay time to talk about all this, but I think I'd rather wait to finish this discussion if you don't mind."

"Of course, yeah. I'm sorry, T. I didn't mean for this to be painful, and clearly it is. Thank you for sharing all of that. I owe you a few confessions next time we revisit this subject, okay?"

Tim smiles now. "Yeah, okay. And it's fine, really. _I'm_ fine. And I don't ever want there to be any secrets between us. Now, since I'm the one who side-tracked this conversation, which actually turned out to be a good thing, in spite of the latent emotions it brought up, let me be the one to bring it back to your lunch with Luca. So please tell me that our non-existent sex life will _not_ be a subject of discussion?" 

Armie laughs. "I promise to avoid that particular topic, though he's already seen us naked in bed together."

Tim laughs too. "Yeah, well so have at least a million other people all over the world."

He chuckles. "True, but the movie viewers saw more of Luca's trees than they did of us. Luca had a front row seat to the entire show, and I'm not just talking about the nude scenes. Anyway, I'm still not sure whether to bring up our relationship on Thursday. I mean, he's obviously been there from the beginning with us and he's one of the most intuitive and wise people we both know. I'm absolutely all for keeping this between us for as long as possible, but he might have some insight to offer? But maybe we should wait until we can talk to him together? Fuck, I just don't know. Tell me what to do please."

Tim grins at him. "It's nice to see you as the one of us who's hesitant and unsure for a change. It's usually me that's freaking out about shit."

"Well, it's still your fault. See what you do to me?"

"Flustering Armie Hammer. Hmm, I think I like this little bit of shift in the power dynamic."

"No shift at all. You've always had this effect on me. I just did a better job of hiding it from you. So, seriously, T., what do you think? 

"Armz, you and Luca have a very special relationship and it makes sense for you to be the one to talk to him. _When_ you choose to do that is up to you. It seems like you want to do it now, and I'm absolutely fine with that. I agree that he'll have input that could help us navigate this whole thing, particularly down the road when it becomes public knowledge, so yeah, go for it." 

"Okay, you're right. Thanks, T. I'll keep it very simple and general and obviously, fill you in on all the details after."

"Sounds good." Tim glances at his watch. "Look, I should probably head to bed. I've got a car picking me up at 6:30 in the morning for an interview for the play."

"What? Why didn't you tell me? Jesus, Tim, I want you to take care of yourself. So go. We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"

"I know. Sorry, I just need to talk to you as much as possible. I'm going now. Goodnight, mon chou."

Armie smiles. "That's new. French? What's it mean?"

"My sweet? Well, technically, it's a cream filled puff pastry or sweet bun, but it's a common endearment. I'm trying to find one that works for you. What do you think?"

"Yeah, I like it. Of course you could always literally call me 'sweet buns.'"

Timmy laughs. "I could, but I like to be a bit more subtle than that."

"No, it's good. I like it. What happened to 'babe?'"

"Oh, it's still hanging around, I'm just experimenting."

"Okay, well experiment tomorrow and go to sleep now. Goodnight, Tim."

"G'night, Armz."

 

****

*****

Armie's made a reservation at one of his regular spots, knowing that the owner will take good care of them. He arrives early, pleased to find that they are seated in a booth that is mostly secluded. He spends a few minutes chatting with Michael, the owner, and has just ordered himself a beer when Luca arrives. He stands to greet him.

"Luca! Hey, man, it's really great to see you." Luca envelops him in a bear hug, kissing him on the cheek and Armie reciprocates the gesture.

"And you. You are looking well, my friend," Luca croons with a smile as they take their seats opposite each other in the booth. 

"Yeah, I'm doing well. Better, actually, than I've been in a while."

"I am glad to hear it. It is a difficult time for you but it seems that you are not regretting the decisions you have made?"

"No. No, I'm not. I worry about the kids, but it's definitely the right thing for all of us." 

Luca nods, but before he can respond, the waiter stops by, temporarily halting the conversation. Luca orders a cup of tea and they take a minute to peruse the menu. When the tea arrives, they place their food order, ensuring they will not be interrupted again until the food is served. 

"I have very little experience with children, other than having been one," Luca says with a smile as he stirs sugar into his tea, "but to me, it seems they are remarkably resilient and adaptable. They have a way of surprising us with their intuitiveness and the manner in which they take the world at face value. I think that both you and Elizabeth have given them all of the necessary preparation that they will need to find their way forward."

"Thanks, man. I hope so. They'll certainly never lack for love and attention, and you're right, they are resilient. I think the fact that they've been dragged all over the world from an early age has only strengthened that. Anyway, I appreciate your concern and support very much."

Armie is anxious to bring up the subject that is heavy on his mind, but it was Luca who asked to meet, so he moves the conversation on to the sequel. "So, I can't tell you how fucking excited I am to think about us all working together again. Any new details?"

They spend the next 45 minutes discussing the sequel and a potential shooting schedule. Luca hands Armie a revised script and they go over some of the changes, with Luca seeking input from Armie on them. 

"I have also sent a revised script to Timothèe and will call him next week to discuss it." 

Finally, the perfect segue. "Good, good. So, uh, speaking of Timmy, there's something I'd like to talk to you about."

"You know I am always happy to listen and discuss whatever is on your mind."

"Yeah, I know that, and I appreciate it." He hesitates, struggling to find the words. "Fuck, I didn't think it would be so weird to talk about this, even with you." 

"I find that using words, one after the other, is the best way to communicate."

Armie laughs. "Yeah, okay. You're right." He takes a breath. "So, Tim came out to visit last weekend and we finally said some things to each other that we weren't able to say until now...because I was married."

Luca leans forward slightly, silently encouraging him to continue. 

"Bottom line is that we've both admitted to feelings that we've had for some time and we're going to see if we can make a relationship between us work." 

A soft smile appears on Luca's face and he nods his approval. "Armie, this is not a surprise for me. More than anyone, I have been a witness to the progression of the relationship between the two of you. For me, it was never a matter of if, but when. Transformation, in all of its forms, has always been of great interest to me and it is incredibly satisfying to be the agent of it. For two people that I love to find love together...what could be better?" I am extremely happy for both you and Timothèe."

Armie can't contain his smile. "Yeah, thanks, man. Your support means a lot. Obviously, this is all very new and we've got a lot of things to work through. We plan to keep this under the radar for absolutely as long as possible, but we decided that we wanted you to know for a couple of reasons. 

"First, of course, because you brought us together and you created that incredibly supportive and accepting environment that allowed us the freedom to discover new things about ourselves and to be open to each other. But also because we both have so much love and respect for you, and you're seriously one of the most intuitive and wise people we know. We were hoping that you might have some words of wisdom for us about how to deal with the publicity and the career aspects of this." 

Luca remains silent as he allows Armie to finish his train of thought.

"Obviously, I don't expect any quick and easy answers, but we would both appreciate hearing what you think the biggest challenges might be and any thoughts you might have for how to address them, once you've had a chance to think about it. And just between us, I've got to tell you that the one thing that really weighs on me is the impact that a relationship with me could have on his career."

Luca smiles indulgently. "To borrow from papà Perlman, 'I'm sure he'd say the same about you and the impact on your career, which speaks well of both of you.' Of course I will give it some thought, but you are both intelligent and savvy enough to know what most of the issues will be. Yes, there will be difficulties, but when two people belong together, as I believe you and Timothèe do, then all that can keep you apart are your own fears and insecurities." 

Armie nods his agreement. "I know you're right, but I still can't believe that he would risk so much for me. I honestly don't know how I got so lucky." 

"You are no more fortunate than he, my friend." He sits back and smiles warmly. "As you know, I have much love for both of you and it will be no surprise, a strong affection for you in particular. But I mean it most sincerely when I say that this was always meant to be. It was clear to me from the beginning that the connection between you and Timothèe is every bit as strong and as deep as that between Oliver and Elio. You are two halves of a whole." 

Armie feels a familiar twinge at Luca's mention of his feelings for him. The two of them have shared an intense, complicated, and emotional journey that sometimes caused them pain, sometimes brought great joy, and has now left them eternally connected in a very unique and personal way. "Luca, you know you'll always be one of the most important and influential people in my life. Our bond is forever and I'm so incredibly grateful for all of your encouragement, advice, and support. You've helped me to challenge myself and to believe in myself and in the end, to truly find myself. I owe you so much."

"Nonsense. It works both ways and we have helped and supported each other, no? Perhaps it was just my role to encourage you to learn to be open to all possibilities and to trust what you feel. In any case, I am being completely honest when I tell you that this is the most beautiful consequence I could ever imagine of that transformative time we all spent together."

They hug each other tightly as they say their goodbyes and Luca assures Armie that he will be in touch as he leaves. Armie sits again, feeling somewhat stunned. He orders another beer and allows himself some time to let everything they've talked about sink in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge THANK YOU to KendylGirl for the thorough proofread and for the thoughtful and entertaining discussion of commas; Oxford, and otherwise. ;) 
> 
> And thank you, again, to everyone who is sticking with this story and for all of the kindness, support, kudos and lovely comments! You are all so very much appreciated. <3


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little angst, a little fluff, a little heartfelt support, and a little Armie humor. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, my undying gratitude to KendylGirl for her always helpful proofread, supportive comments, and especially for sharing her amazing talent with us all. Thank you, thank you! <3

"Okay, let's start with one that's not a big deal, but it's been on my mind."

It's a few days after Armie's lunch with Luca, and Tim and Armie are Facetiming before Tim heads to bed. Armie has arrived in Vancouver and he tells Tim that the first couple of days have gone well. Previews for Tim's play are also going well and opening night is now less than two weeks away. 

These nightly conversations between them have turned into the highlight of his days, and they help ease the painfully slow passage of time as he counts down the days until Armie is finished with this shoot and is free to come to New York...to come to him.

It's no surprise that his emotions have been all over the place the last couple of days. His moods seem to randomly fluctuate between pure happiness that they finally have this chance to be together, to intense guilt for taking advantage of the end of a marriage, especially one with two innocent kids involved. At least he can take comfort in the fact that he has done nothing to contribute to the failure of their marriage. He's thankful, once again, that he'd put a stop to things that night in Crema and that he had resisted temptation numerous times since then. 

The two of them still have some things to talk through, and they've agreed to use at least some of this in-between time to discuss anything that is a concern for either of them. Tonight, Tim's brought up Elizabeth, because she's been on his mind. 

"So, I get that whatever she might feel about us being together shouldn't really matter, but it matters to me. She's been my friend too, and the three of us have spent a lot of time together. I mean, don't get me wrong, even if she objected, I'd still choose to be with you, but I can't help worrying about it. How do you think she's going to react?" 

Armie appears to deliberate before he replies. "Well, first of all, I don't think she'll be surprised by it. As you said, the three of us have spent a lot of time together and no one could ever accuse her of being blind or stupid. She's always been touchy about our relationship, which to be fair, she had good reason to be."

He hesitates before continuing. "Tim, I don't want to start our relationship with anything less than total honesty, so I need to tell you that sometime after Crema, she confronted me about my feelings for you, and she asked me if I'd cheated on her with you. I told her that nothing had happened, but I couldn't deny that what I felt for you was probably more than friendship. It's not like we weren't having problems before that, but obviously that admission didn't exactly make things better." 

Tim feels a sudden wave of nausea. "Wait...what? Are you saying that I was part of the reason you got divorced?" He feels as though the floor has just dropped out from under him.

"No, T., that's _not_ what I'm saying. None of this is on you. She doesn't blame you in the least, okay?" He hesitates again. "But I'd be lying if I said that my feelings for you didn't contribute to our problems."

"Holy shit." For just a minute he thinks that he might throw up. The hand that is holding his phone drops to his side as he stands and begins pacing back and forth. "Fuck."

"Tim...hey..... Timmy? Tim. I'm looking at the floor here, babe, and I'm getting dizzy. Can you please stand still and hold the phone back up again? Please?"

He stops moving and raises the phone so that Armie can see his face again, well aware that he looks stricken and close to tears. "Fuck, and I thought this was going to be one of the easier discussions we have." 

Armie's face is etched in concern. "Tim, I'm sorry, but I promised I'd always be honest with you. Look, the truth is, whether you and I had ever met or not, she and I would still have reached this same decision at some point. I have absolutely no doubt about that. You're not to blame in any way."

"How can you say that? You just told me that I was part of the reason." He knows he's practically shouting and sounding a bit hysterical.

"Tim - sit, breathe, and listen to me for a minute, okay?"

Tim's hesitation prompts a more forceful, "Okay?" 

He finally nods in slow motion as he sits, reaching a hand up to run roughly through his hair. 

"Tim, what I said was that _my feelings for you_ contributed. Me. _My_ feelings. This is all about me, not you. Man, you were the one who stopped anything from happening. Fuck, you're the hero in this."

He huffs out a laugh, shaking his head in denial. "Yeah, right. Some fucking hero. I wasn't concerned about her at all that night. You want truth? The truth is I just didn't want you to regret it and end up hating me for it. The only person I was thinking about was me."

The soft smile and the understanding look Armie directs at Tim melts him. "If that's what you need to tell yourself right now, that's fine, but I know better. I know _you_ better, and I'm not going to let you continue to beat yourself up over this. What you said to me that night was 'We can't...your family.' I remember it clearly, because it's what stopped me.

"Look, I know I'm repeating myself here, but let me say it again. There were _many_ reasons our marriage broke down, but honestly, at this point, the reasons really don't matter, and I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. The fact is that both Liz and I tried really fucking hard to make it work, but at the end of the day, we both realized that not only the two of us, but the kids as well, would be better off if we separated. It's that simple." 

He knows that what Armie is saying makes sense, but it still feels like he's responsible in some way. "Okay, but fuck, Armie, _all this time_ I've been telling myself that I had _no_ part in the end of your marriage. Clearly, that's not the case - whether it was something I actually did or not. I _was_ involved and that's gonna take some time to get used to and to learn to live with." He stands and starts pacing again, but he keeps the phone upright and facing him this time. 

Armie shakes his head. "I'm sorry, T. Maybe I shouldn't have told you."

He stops moving. "No. No, man, don't say that. I'm glad you did, even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear."

Armie nods and offers another thought. "This should be obvious, but I'm going to say it anyway because I'm not sure you're thinking clearly right now. None of us can control or change what we feel, but we _can_ control our actions. When Liz asked me that question, I answered her honestly because I didn't want to lie to her. And you...in spite of how you felt, you stopped us from going further because you knew it would hurt other people. So the way I see it, we both acted honorably and neither of us has done anything to feel bad or guilty about."

He sits again, wanting to believe what Armie is saying. 

"And here's one more thing for you to think about. Liz and I are both relatively young. How likely do you think it is it that either she or I would stay single forever? I fully expect, at some point, she'll find someone she wants to be with too, and if that person makes her happy and is good to the kids, I'd honestly be thrilled for her. I know she feels the same way. Tim, she already loves and respects you, why wouldn't she be happy for us?" 

He nods, breathing slightly easier now. "Yeah, I guess that sort of makes sense." 

"I honestly feel that she'll be relieved that it's you rather than someone she knows nothing about, especially because of the kids. She knows how you feel about them and she's seen over and over again how good you are with them. And she also knows how much they love you. You know that she's not the sort of person to hide her head in the sand and wish things were different than they are. She and I couldn't be happy together anymore, but I think we still care enough about each other to wish happiness to the other. You asked how I think she'll react, and my answer is that I think she'll be fine with it once she's had a chance to work through it." 

"Okay." He nods again, letting out a sigh. He's feeling a little less freaked out. "Yeah, I guess I can see that, but at some point, I'd like to sit down and talk to her. I mean, it's not like I expect us to be one fucking big happy family all the time, but I'd like for the three of us to be able to talk honestly about stuff and to always treat each other with kindness and respect."

"Absolutely. I don't see any reason why we can't accomplish that."

Tim hesitates before adding, "And I want to tell her I'm sorry." Armie looks like he wants to interrupt, but he doesn't. "Look, whether I've done anything wrong or not, I'm still allowed to feel bad about it all, and I just want to tell her that and to have an open and honest discussion about it all, preferably after we've both consumed large quantities of alcohol." 

He can tell that Armie isn't totally onboard with that, but he smiles and nods anyway. "If that's what you need to do to feel better, I certainly won't try to talk you out of it. But obviously, it's all too soon for any discussion anyway, so let's talk about it again down the road, okay?"

"Yeah, okay." He shakes his head and lets out a relieved laugh. "Well, fuck, that was certainly a lot more than I expected it to be. Even though you nearly gave me a heart-attack, I'm really grateful that you were upfront and honest about it all. We need to promise each other that we'll always do that, no matter how painful, okay?"

"Tim, you're too important to me to be anything but open and honest with you. I promise."

"Me too. I never thought I'd get this chance and now that I have it, I'm not gonna fuck it up if I can help it."

They're both quiet for a moment, lost in their own thoughts before Timmy asks quietly, "And...did you just call _me_ babe?" 

Armie throws his head back and laughs unabashedly. "Yeah, I guess I did. Is that okay?"

That particular laugh of Armies is his absolute favorite. It's the one that he always associates with the interview where he was asked what things he did that annoyed Armie and he mentioned showing up four hours late to his Ford's birthday party. It's spontaneous and joyful, and it's just so 'Armie.' It definitely helps alleviate some of the stress and tension he's been feeling and he laughs happily in return. "Yeah, it's okay. Very okay, actually."

"Good, because I think I like calling you that." He sobers suddenly. "And there's something else I need to say, T., especially after putting you through that fucking difficult conversation. I hope you already know this, and I'm saving the actual words until I can say them to you in person, but this is me saying it to you, because I can't wait any longer to get that out there, okay?" 

His breath catches as he studies Armie's face; wanting to be sure he hasn't misunderstood. The expression he sees there and the look in Armie's eyes convinces him that he hasn't. 

_Holy fuck._ His eyes drop away from the phone briefly as he takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. He closes his eyes and takes a minute to allow those unspoken words to settle around him and find their way inside. He opens his heart and makes a special place there for them to reside. A smile slowly spreads across his face as he looks back up again. Armie's look hasn't changed, though Tim senses a hint of nervousness underneath it. 

When Armie sees the joyous look on Tim's face, he beams back at him. 

"Okay," Tim manages to get out. "And this is me saying it back. It's been true for so fucking long, and I can't wait to say the actual words with you standing in front of me." 

They proceed to grin at each other like idiots for what feels like hours before Armie finally breaks the silence. "Better now?" 

Tim nods, chuckling. "Fuck, yeah. How can I not be after that? But God, Armie, I'd give anything to be able to kiss you right now."

"Me too, T., but it won't be much longer. We've made it through one week already. We just have to get through the next two or three. I'll be there just as soon as I can, I promise. And about our 'divorce' discussion - are you going to be okay with all that?"

He nods. "Yeah, I will be. I just need some time to process it all, but I'll get there. Sorry I freaked out, but maybe discussing heavy stuff over the phone isn't the best idea we've had."

"Agreed. No more serious discussions until we can be together to support each other through them. And now, I need to let you go to bed." He pauses. "Goodnight, babe."

Tim smiles and thinks. "Bonne nuit, mon coeur." 

Armie laughs. "To paraphrase Gomez Addams, 'Tim, I love it when you speak French.' 'My...what?'"

"My heart."

"Nice." He nods. "Yeah, I could definitely get used to that one."

 

****

*****

He arrives at Brian's office just before 10. It's been two days since the discussion that had sent him into a panic, but he's had time to think about it and though he's still reeling from it, he's been able to take a step back. And honestly, he's probably been thinking more about Armie's declaration at the end of the conversation than the bombshell he had dropped about his divorce.

Maybe that was why Armie had chosen that moment to tell Tim he loved him - so that he wouldn't dwell on the uncomfortable fact that he'd played a part in Armie's divorce, but whatever the reason, knowing that Armie feels the same way he does means everything. It's fucking amazing. It makes it real and because of that, he decides that he has an obligation to tell Brian about the change in their relationship. 

When he and Armie had spoken last night, Tim had told him about this scheduled meeting with Brian and that he felt like he wanted to at least give him a heads up about the two of them. As expected, Armie had encouraged him to do whatever felt right to him. 

As he steps into the office, Brian's PA looks up with a smile. "Hi, Tim." 

"Hey, Angela. How's it going?"

"Good, thanks. Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

"Yeah, that'd be great, thank you."

As she stands, Tim glances through the glass wall into Brian's office. Brian smiles as he looks up and motions him in.

"Go on in, I'll bring your coffee."

Brian stands as Tim enters the room and they greet each other with a warm hug.

"Hey, kiddo, how are you doing?" 

"Doing well. Doing well. And you?"

"Busy as hell, but it beats the alternative, right?"

Angela brings his coffee and he sits in his usual spot on the couch while Brian grabs a stack of stuff from his desk and takes a seat in the chair to his left. He drops the pile on the coffee table in front of them as he sits before turning to ask, "So, how are Previews going?"

"Great. Really good. We've fixed a few minor things that weren't working, but overall, the audience reaction has been super positive."

"Good, good. And how's it been working with Margot?"

"She's amazing, man. She's definitely gonna make a name for herself. She reminds me of Greta in a lot of ways. Her instincts are spot on, and she's really good at conveying exactly what she wants while keeping it all positive and supportive."

Brian is nodding as though mentally checking things off a list. "Any issues with the security during the stage doors?"

"None. They're well-staffed and as usual, the fans have been great."

"Okay, but just make sure you let them do their jobs, okay?"

Tim grins. "Yes, Dad." 

"I mean it. You know what I'm talking about."

"Yeah, I do. I promise I'll be careful. So, listen, before we get started on anything else, there's something I want to talk to you about."

"Okay, shoot."

Tim brings his hand up to his neck and absentmindedly scratches at it. "Well, it's sort of hypothetical at this point, but since it's likely to move beyond that fairly soon, I don't want to blindside you with it."

Brian gives him an encouraging look and he continues.

"So, I went out to see Armie a couple of weeks ago." He studies Brian to gauge his reaction, but he's not giving anything away. "Anyway, I know you're aware of his divorce, and I know that my relationship with him has been a PR concern for you on occasion, but...it's about to become more of one."

Still no indication of what Brian is thinking. He takes a breath and continues. "We had a serious talk while I was there and we've agreed that we want to try to give a relationship between us a go." 

Brian seems to be waiting to see if Tim wants to say more, but when he realizes he's finished for the moment, he nods, offering Tim a warm smile, which is not at all what he expected. "Tim, I've been waiting for this shoe to drop ever since I heard about Armie's divorce. You wear your heart on your sleeve, my friend, and I know that you've been in love with him for a long time. It's also been clear to me that he's in love with you."

He's surprised, but he probably shouldn't be. There are few people that know him as well as Brian.

"So, you know that my reaction as your friend and someone who cares about you is going to be different than my reaction as your agent, right?"

"Of course. Yeah, I get that."

"Okay, so let's start with the person who cares about you. We've known each other several years now, and it's been nothing but a privilege and an honor to watch you grow from a goofy, irreverent kid with tremendous potential to one of the most talented, hard working, and respected actors of your generation and I'm _so_ incredibly proud of you. You've earned all of the praise and the accolades you've received, and you've made my job so easy and such a joy.

"Tim, everyone deserves the right to be with someone who completes them and makes them happy, and I have no doubt that you and Armie do that for each other. I've watched you so often together over these last couple of years, and I've seen the way you both light up and come alive in the other's company. I'm so glad you finally have this opportunity, and I would never ask you to give up that kind of happiness for the sake of your career. Obviously, you never would, but let me assure you now, that I'll do everything in my power to make this work for you and to ensure that this new relationship between the two of you has the least amount of impact on your careers as possible."

Tim tries to swallow past the lump in his throat, completely overwhelmed by Brian's words. He can only nod, not trusting his voice right now. Seemingly aware of his state, Brian continues as he reaches out and rests his hand briefly on Tim's knee.

"So, now, let's talk about the PR aspect of this. Would my life be easier if this weren't happening? Absolutely, but I'm not a hypocrite, and your happiness is worth so much more than any effort I might have to expend to lessen the impact this could potentially have. Love is love is love, and obviously things are changing, but it's still not going to be an easy sell and there will be consequences - especially because Armie was married. My job will be to keep those consequences to a minimum and I promise you I'll do that to the best of my ability. Have you two talked about when you might go public with this?"

He shakes his head and finally manages to get some words out. "No, but we want to keep it quiet for as long as possible - months for sure and hopefully longer. His divorce isn't even final until the middle of December and honestly all we've done is talk at this point. With my play keeping me here for the next couple of months, and his commitments, we're not going to have a lot of time together anyway."

"Okay. When will you see each other next?"

"He's in Vancouver right now and will be for at least another couple of weeks. When he's finished with that shoot, he's planning to come here for a few days. He'll see my play, of course, but that would be expected anyway." Tim looks down, feeling his cheeks flush. "Other than that, I doubt we'll be venturing out much."

"Brian throws his head back and laughs. "Fair enough. Look, Tim, all I ask is a heads-up if you think you've been papped in a compromising position or if there's anything you think I need to know to be a step ahead, okay?"

"Of course, yeah."

The smile Brian offers now is a teasing one. "I suppose I should be grateful now that there's never been any personal space between you guys because aside from actually making out in public, I don't think there's much you two could do that would turn heads or seem out of the ordinary."

Tim laughs. "Fuck, yeah, that's true." 

"So, at some point, I'm going to have to let Nicole in on this. Obviously, as your publicist, she can't be caught off guard either, but that certainly doesn't have to happen now. How about you let me know when you think she should be clued in?"

"Yeah, I mean, if you think she should know before Armie is here in a couple of weeks, just say so. Otherwise, I'd like to wait for a while. Right now, the only other person who knows is Luca. I haven't even talked to my parents about it yet." 

"No, that's fine. I think we can wait." He grins at Tim. "Especially since you won't be out in public much."

Tim accepts the tease good-naturedly. "Nice." 

"Hey, since this is going to cause me more than a few headaches, at least I get to give you a little shit about it."

He nods his head and laughs. "Yeah, I guess that's only fair." He's thought many times over the years how lucky he is that Brian had agreed all those years ago to represent him, but he's never felt that more than today. "Thanks, man, seriously. Thank you. You know I appreciate everything you do for me, but this is above and beyond. I'm just so grateful to have you not only as my agent, but as my friend."

Brian stands, opening his arms, and Tim rises, stepping into them. They share a moment of quiet camaraderie before Brian speaks. "Tim, we're more family than friends, and I promise, I've got your back." He gives him a final squeeze before letting go, pointing to the stack of stuff on the coffee table. "Now, as you can see, I've got a few things to go over with you. Are you ready to get to work?"

Tim smiles and nods enthusiastically. "Yeah, let's do it."

They spend the next couple of hours working through Brian's stack and when Tim stands to leave, they share a final hug.

"Thanks, Brian. I love you, man. You're the best - I really mean that."

"Love you too, my friend." Brian's voice is soft with emotion. "There's not much I wouldn't do for you." 

Tim blinks several times, trying to keep his emotions under control. "I know that and I appreciate it so fucking much."

Brian walks him to the door and adds one final comment. "I'm genuinely happy for you guys and please let Armie know that too, okay? Just make sure you keep me in the loop when I need to be."

"I will. I promise."

 

****

*****

He remembers on his way through the lobby of his building that he hasn't checked his mail for a few days, so he stops to pick it up before he heads up to his apartment. He's surprised to see a small package amongst the standard junk mail. There's no sender's name, but the return address is Armie's new one and he recognizes Armie's near-perfect handwriting. It's a standard size, padded, manila envelope. Whatever's inside is soft and it weighs practically nothing.

Once inside his apartment, he rips the package open. He has no idea what he expected, but he's definitely surprised when he pulls out a pair of socks. Closer examination reveals them to be white Bombas calf-length athletic socks. They have a black geometric design and...they smell like a gym locker. A small note card had dropped to the floor when he pulled them out and he bends to retrieve it. _Dude, It seemed like you really wanted these and since I can't be with you right now, hopefully these will be almost like having me there. :) A xx_

His smile practically splits his face. Armie actually sent him a fucking pair of his dirty socks. He shakes his head, laughing out loud now as he pulls out his phone and taps out a text.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes talking is not enough...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had thought that this was going to be a nice, short little transitional chapter, but as usual, the boys had other ideas. Because this chapter ended up being super long, I've decided to post it as two chapters and so I'm now upping my chapter count one last time!
> 
> So much gratitude to my beta extraordinaire, KendylGirl! You are the absolute best...thank you, thank you!

Armie gets Tim's text while he's seated just off to the side of the set, waiting to be called for his next scene. 

_Got your package. You're fuckin' hilarious. *Face with tongue sticking out emoji* *Crying laughing emoji* Now if that had been your dirty underwear, well...another story._

He smiles broadly as he responds. _Good to know for future reference. *Winking eye emoji* Wondered if it had gotten lost in the mail._

_Yeah, sorry. Only check mail every few days. Usually not much there to get excited about._

_Does that mean you're excited about my socks? You DID seem to want them pretty badly when you were in LA._

_I think that was DIDN'T, dude, but in the absence of you or your underwear, I guess all I have to be excited about are your fucking dirty socks._

_Come on, T, I know you're thrilled that I sent them to you. Don't try to hide it._

_I might have been thrilled with your underwear, but I'll see if I can find something to do with these. *Winking kiss emoji*_

An image of that opening scene from _American Pie_ suddenly pops into his head and he smiles. Before he can bring it up, he hears his name called and holds up a finger, silently asking for a moment. _Sorry, just got called to set. I'll call you later._

Their phone conversation that evening is also cut short due to Tim's late dinner with friends, and the subject of his socks is skipped over in favor of catching each other up on their days.

After that, the socks seem to be forgotten...until they're not.

 

****

*****

A few days later, Armie's phone pings with an Instagram notification as he's being driven to the studio. He smiles when he sees that Timmy's posted a new IG Story. It's Wednesday, which means that Tim has a matinee performance, and as Armie looks at the time on his phone, he realizes that Tim must be at the theater right now.

He clicks on Tim's story and his smile turns into a full-on belly laugh as he watches the 15 second video. He recognizes the song instantly as the one that plays during the volleyball scene in _Call Me By Your Name_ \- _Paris Latino,_ or something like that. It starts with a brief image of Tim in a mirror, his face mostly hidden behind his phone. He's clearly in his backstage dressing room and he's wearing a hoodie and jeans, so not dressed for the show yet. The image pans from the mirror, quickly across the top of his dressing table, to his feet, which he's moving in time to the music. He's not wearing shoes and his pants, as usual, are tucked into his socks - white athletic socks that have a black geometric design across the middle of the foot and the brand name 'Bombas' across the toes.

He watches it a couple more times with a huge smile on his face before texting Tim. _Dude, nice socks! Just one question...did you wash them first?_

He doesn't have to wait long for a response. _Ah, now that's my secret. Every good relationship needs a little mystery, right?_

 

****

*****

It's Tim's opening night, and it's fucking killing Armie that he can't be there. He's looked at the time so often that several people on set have asked him if everything is okay.

He'd asked a good friend, who owns an upscale bakery in New York City, to make and deliver to the theater a few dozen Italian Peach cookies filled with pastry cream. She had texted him earlier in the day to let him know that she had personally delivered them and had made certain that the person accepting them understood that they were a special gift from Mr. Chalamet's good friend, Armie Hammer. She'd been assured that they would be placed front and center in his dressing room. 

Tim had seemed understandably hyper and nervous as they'd texted off and on during the day. They'd talked about random shit, like their favorite _Simpsons_ episodes, and whether Ru Paul's cover of _Santa Baby_ was better than Miss Piggy's. Whatever Tim wanted to talk about, but knowing how opening night gifts can get lost in the shuffle, he made sure to tell Tim to be on the lookout for something from him. 

He's just finishing lunch when he gets a text. 

_Dude, these cookies are hilarious and fucking delicious! They're a huge hit with the entire cast and crew and everyone had a good laugh when I told them they were from you._

_The cream inside was an inspired touch. *Peach emoji* *Eggplant emoji* *Face with tongue sticking out emoji*_

He laughs happily as he replies. _Well, it WAS my turn to fill the peach and your turn to eat it._

 _Funny, Hammer. But seriously, man, thank you. Things feel good here. Everyone's excited and upbeat about tonight. I'll call in a bit._

They talk a couple of times before the show and Tim calls him immediately after. Armie can hear lots of laughter and exuberant conversation in the background.

"Hey! I've only got a minute. I've got to do the stage door and get to the party, but I had to call and tell you that it went so fucking well. Everyone was on top of their game and the audience was really into it. It felt amazing! Now we just need to wait and see what the critics have to say."

"That's great, Tim. I'm so happy that it went well and I can't imagine that the reviews will be anything less than glowing. They're going to love it, and they're going to love you. How could they not?" 

"Thanks, man. I knew you'd be thinking about me, so I wanted to let you know and...I just needed to hear your voice and to tell you that I miss you and I wish you were here."

Armie sighs. "Aw, T., you have no idea how much I wish I was there, but we'll get our chance to celebrate once I am. Right now I want you to go and enjoy every fucking minute of this night, so hang up and go have some fun!" 

"Yeah, okay. Can I call you when I get home? It'll probably be really late, but I know I'll be wired and I'm gonna want to tell you all about it."

"Absolutely. I want you to call, no matter what time, okay? I'll keep my phone close by."

He had tried to stay awake, but at some point, he must have drifted off on the couch. An incoming FaceTime call from Tim wakes him and as he looks at his phone, he sees that it's close to midnight, almost 3 a.m. in New York. He's seen 'drunk' Timmy enough to know that he's at least halfway there, and in typical Tim fashion, he's practically bouncing off the walls with happiness and excitement.

Armie offers a sleepy smile. "Hey, you. Congratulations!"

"Armie! Did you see the reviews? Every _fucking_ one was positive. They called the play a 'transformative' experience, and they said I gave a Tony-worthy performance. Fuck, man," he says shaking his head, "I'm so happy and relieved." 

Armie is grinning from ear to ear. "I know T., I read them all and I'm so proud of you. Not surprised, of course, but still so fucking proud." 

Over the next several minutes Tim fills him in on his evening: the performance, the party, and some of the interesting conversations he'd had with various people. He suddenly stops, almost mid-sentence, and quietly stares into Armie's eyes. "The only thing that would have made tonight better was if you had been here to share it with me." 

Armie shakes his head and offers a sad and sympathetic smile. "I really wish I could have been there, babe. I wanted to be so badly, and I can't wait to see you and the play." 

"I know. But on the bright side, I suppose it's probably a good thing you weren't here because I doubt that I could have kept my hands off of you all night. Besides," he smiles almost shyly now, "since we're an _us_ now, it sort of feels like you're with me all the time." 

Armie's heart soars at that and as he's trying to formulate a response, a fuddled and unfocused Tim decides to take the conversation off in another random direction. "Fuck, Armie, I love theater _so_ much. It's what I grew up with, you know? And to get this kind of critical response for the first play I've done since _Prodigal Son_...it's just...fuck...I don't know what to say. It just means everything."

God, what Armie wouldn't give to be there with him right now. He has no doubt that if he were there, they would soon be taking their celebration to the bedroom and after an intense and very pleasurable session of love-making, they would drift off to sleep, wrapped in each other's arms. _Fuck._ That thought makes him instantly hard. 

"It's all deserved and more, T. You have such an amazing talent, and your commitment to every role you take on puts you in a class all by yourself." Given his current train of thought and his body's reaction to it, he can't help adding with a chuckle, "And I'm not just saying that to get in your pants."

Tim laughs too, but as his eyes meet Armie's, his face suddenly transforms from happily drunk to clearly aroused and needy. "Fuck, Armie, I really _want_ you in my pants...like right this fucking minute. Jesus, I miss you so much and I need you in every way possible, but right now, what I really need is to feel your hands and mouth all over my body. I need us to bring each other to the edge and tumble over together because jacking off alone is just not cutting it right now."

"Fuck, Tim." He shakes his head in frustration. "God, I want that too. _So_ much." An image of the two of them naked, bringing each other off, gives him an idea and he decides to throw it out there to see if Tim might be game. He allows all of the desire he's feeling to show on his face as he quietly asks, "Since we both seem to be on the same page at the moment, are you maybe up for a little phone sex?" 

Tim smirks and raises his eyebrows as he glances down at his crotch before angling the phone down so that Armie can see that Tim's hand is currently thrust down inside the waistband of his sweatpants, moving slowly up and down. "Fuck, yeah. I'm definitely 'up.'"

"Fuck, okay. Good. That's..." He swallows loudly. "Maybe we should both take a minute to get a little more...comfortable."

"Yeah, yeah... Good idea. I'll call you back in a couple." Tim quickly disconnects the call.

 _Jesus._ Armie takes a deep breath, trying not to think. All he wants to do right now is feel. He kills all of the lights in the hotel room, except for one beside the bed. He grabs a towel from the bathroom and digs around in his toiletry bag for the small bottle of lube he's brought with him for this purpose. He strips out of his clothes, throws the covers back on the bed, and settles on his back. His mind is racing, and his entire body feels electrically charged. 

It's been a long time since he's done this. Liz was never really that keen, though she humored him a few times. But this...this feels totally different. This is Tim. He's never felt like this about anyone, and his cock is twitching just thinking about what's about to happen. 

When his phone lights up with an incoming FaceTime call, he has to take a moment to slow his breathing before he answers. "Hey." Tim's head is on his pillow and though Armie can only see from his shoulders up, his shoulders are bare. 

Tim smiles broadly. "So, where were we?"

He feels like he needs to confirm one more time that Tim wants this and is not feeling pressured. "Tim, I just want to be sure that this is something you really want to do." 

"Fuck, Armie, does this look like I'm not sure?" He angles the phone down to show his bare chest - just to the top of his groin - and a hint of motion just out of camera view that shows his hand clearly 'involved' below that point. Tim's response more than convinces him. 

"Right. Okay, sorry, I just..."

"Yeah, I get it. So, let's say you're here right now. What are we doing?" 

Armie starts by throwing out a tease. "Well, we sure as fuck aren't watching cooking shows." 

Tim gives him a startled look before grinning as he plays along. "We're definitely not - not even the _Great British Baking Show._ And we're _not_ discussing the latest trends in fashion."

Armie grins broadly as he plays along. "Nope. We've found something much more interesting to do."

"We have...yeah." Tim sucks his bottom lip in between his teeth as he takes a deep breath, and Armie feels his cock hardening again. "So, what room are we in?"

All he can do is grin. "Well, if I were a betting man, like Oliver, I'd say we're in your bedroom."

Tim chuckles and his voice is suddenly like velvet. "Yeah, I'd say that's a pretty safe bet."

Arousal kicks in full force. "Well, if we're there together, I assume we're either getting undressed or we're already past that point."

"We're definitely past that point. In fact, we're already naked together in my bed."

"Yeah? Do you want to tell me what we're doing or would you like me to do that?" 

Tim appears to think for a minute. "Maybe you can start and we can take turns. Let's keep the phones pointed at our faces for now, okay?"

Armie nods and smiles. "Yeah, okay. God, T., I'm so desperate to touch you, but I can't stop staring at you, laid out so beautifully for me. Your body's filled out and matured a bit since Crema and I can't believe that it's me that gets to touch and explore...not Oliver. My eyes are everywhere at once as I try to reacquaint myself with every inch of you and this time, I get to do more than sample." That comment earns him a smirk. He keeps going. 

"My hands come up to frame your face and I lean down to kiss you, but just before I do, I get distracted by those two freckles on your upper lip. Those two freckles fucking _own_ me. If you only knew how often I think about them. I run my thumb across them before licking them and gently catching them in my teeth. You're practically begging to be kissed and so I finally bring our lips together properly. The kiss is amazing, so deep and full of need on both sides and it feels like it goes on forever until we have to pull back to breathe."

He pauses to look at Tim's face. His eyes are closed, and he's breathing loudly. "What happens next?" Tim whispers. 

"Well, as much as I want to keep kissing that perfect mouth of yours, I also want to taste and touch the rest of you, so I move on to your neck. You angle your head to give me better access and I can't get enough." He chuckles. "I get a little carried away and though I don't intend to, I definitely leave a mark there."

Tim, eyes open now, smiles and nods. "Make-up can take care of that. I like being marked by you."

"Yeah?" Armie's breathing is more uneven now as his hand continues to work his own cock. "Tell me what else you like."

"I like the way you run your hands solidly over my chest, teasing a nipple with your fingers before taking it into your mouth. Fuck, it feels so good. The sensation makes me arch up off the bed and the pleasure of it goes straight to my cock, making me harder than I already am."

Jesus, it goes straight to Armie's cock too. Whatever limited phone sex he's participated in before had been nothing like this. But then, this is Tim. "Keep going, T., what next?"

They lock eyes briefly as Tim's tongue darts out and licks across his bottom lip before he continues. "Your hands grab hold of my waist now as you move lower and the anticipation of feeling your mouth on me is fuckin' killing me. I want it so badly, but you're teasing me, you bastard. Your mouth is everywhere but where I really want it."

Armie laughs at that. "Yeah, well I can only tease so long before I can't hold back any longer. I gently shove your legs apart and bury my face there. I rub the stubble on my cheek against your cock and I feel you shiver before I flick my tongue out and slowly lick from the base of your cock up to the tip. At the same time, I cup your balls with my hand and begin to knead gently. I tease your slit with my tongue and steal a taste of you before closing my lips around you and taking you as far as I can down my throat." 

"Fuck." He can see that Tim's eyes are closed again and his face is contorted in arousal. "I'm really close."

"Okay, good. That's good. Can you turn the phone so I can watch you come?"

Tim sucks his bottom lip between his teeth once more and tosses his head back slightly as he nods. "Yeah, but...there's something..."

Armie immediately thinks he's pushed for too much. "You don't have to if you don't want to..."

"No, I do. It's just...." He pans the phone down and it takes Armie a second to make sense of what he's seeing. Tim is clearly naked and his hand is working his very erect cock, but Armie can't actually _see_ Tim's cock because something's covering it. 

When he realizes what it is, a "What the fuck?" escapes, and he can't help but laugh.

He hears Tim giggle. "You knew this had to happen, right? I mean...you can't tell me you didn't think about _American Pie_ when you sent me your fucking socks. I'll take it off now so you can see."

Armie's not sure why, but he doesn't want him to. "No, don't. I mean, just this once...it's kind of a turn on. Provides a little mystery. Besides...it's _my_ fucking sock on your cock. And if you make any smartass comments about rhymes... "

"I guarantee I'm in no mood for smartass comments." Tim's hand moves faster and Armie sees the tension build in Tim's body.

He keeps talking. "I've got your cock in my mouth now while I work your balls with my hand and fuck, Tim, you taste and feel so good..."

He hears Tim's breathing get ragged as it speeds up and as his climax approaches, he shouts out, "Fuck..." Armie watches his body spasm through his release, and it's all he can do to keep from following Tim over the edge.

 _Jesus Fucking Christ._ This is seriously one of the hottest things he's ever done. 

"Fuck, Armie, that was..." 

It takes a while for Tim's breathing to even out, and Armie waits, trying to think of anything but how close to the edge he is. Eventually, Tim moves his phone back to his face. "Fuck, that was amazing, but I feel like that was all about me." 

"Believe me, T., that was _not_ all about you. That was such a fucking turn on, I almost came with you. It's not going to take much more. Do you want me to turn the phone?" 

"Next time. I really just want to watch your face right now when you come."

"Okay...yeah, I like that."

Tim nods as he takes over the narration again. "So, we've changed positions now and I'm straddling your legs. God, you're so beautiful like this. I wrap my hand around you as I lean down and kiss your balls before sucking one into my mouth. I twist my hand a little as I move it up and down your shaft. I start slow, but build up speed and I can sense you're getting close. My other hand replaces my mouth on your balls so that I can use my mouth for other things. I blow gently across the tip of your cock before..."

Armie moans as he comes hard across his hand and stomach. "Jesus." He grins into the phone and when he catches his breath, he says, "So, tell me again why we haven't done this before?"

Tim grins back. "Well, to start with, you were married."

"I meant in the last couple of weeks, smartass."

Tim smirks. "I don't know. Maybe we just had to work up to it, but that was hot as fuck and we're definitely going to keep doing it."

"Definitely. Now, go to sleep, babe. Call me when you're up tomorrow." 

"Yeah, okay. Thanks for...that." He smiles sleepily. "À bientôt, mon chèr." 

"Goodnight, my sweet T." 

Armie lies awake for a while after they've said goodnight. He's too wound up to sleep and his heart is just so full. He can't imagine what he's ever done in his life to deserve this much happiness. 

As exhausted as Tim was, Armie's pretty sure he's already solidly asleep, so he decides to send a text that Tim will see first thing in the morning. Tim certainly seemed to enjoy their phone sex as much as he did, but he also knows that his boy is highly skilled in self-doubt and second-guessing. He grabs his phone off the nightstand and begins typing. 

_Good morning, sunshine. Guessing you may be a little hung-over right now, so make sure you drink lots of water, take some ibuprofen, and eat something._

_And before you convince yourself otherwise, I wanted you to wake up to me saying how much I enjoyed last night and I hope you did too. I can't wait until we're actually naked in the same room together. *Winking eye emoji*_

_Until then, I certainly wouldn't say no to more of last night's entertainment. *Eggplant emoji* *Sweat drops emoji* *Face with heart eyes emoji* Call me!_

He smiles as he sets his phone down, fluffs his pillow, and settles down to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a picture and recipe for the [Italian Peach Cookies](https://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/14756154/italian-peach-cookies/) that Armie had sent to Tim. I'm guessing Tim might have preferred the Nutella filling, but it really had to be the cream, didn't it? ;)


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My undying thanks once again to KendylGirl, for beta, support, encouragement, and loads of entertaining conversation. You are a frickin' rock star! ❤️ 
> 
> And a huge thank you to all who are continuing to read, kudo, and comment. I love reading your comments and I appreciate you all for sticking with this.

There are only a handful of days now before Armie will be wrapping this project in Vancouver. As difficult and frustrating as this ill-timed separation has been, he also recognizes that it's been a blessing in disguise. It's forced them to take things slow and given them time to think about and talk through a number of issues and concerns that they've had. 

And perhaps more importantly, it's reinforced for him how absolutely right this thing with Tim feels. In fact, nothing in his life has _ever_ felt so right and when he thinks about that, a few weeks is nothing. 

Still, he's only human, and there have been a couple of times during the last few weeks when his need to be with Tim has been so overwhelming that he's felt as though he couldn't possibly exist another moment away from him. Times when he'd seriously considered chucking everything and grabbing the next flight to New York. Of course, reason and responsibility had won out in the end. He smiles as he thinks that if he'd been a boy scout, that strength and mental fortitude would most certainly have qualified him for some sort of a merit badge. Hell, he's totally fucking earned it. 

But as desperate as he is to get to Tim, he also misses his babies and he needs to spend some time with them at home first. Nick had brought the kids up for a couple of days halfway through his time here, but especially with the divorce, being with them is absolutely his number one priority. Tim, of course, has been totally supportive and encouraging about that when they've talked. He's told Armie to take all the time he needs, and Armie knows he means it. 

At least they've discovered the pleasurable, though somewhat limited, joys of phone sex. Over the last couple of weeks, phone sex has become a new, very welcome, part of their FaceTime conversations. Certainly not every night, but often enough that they are both getting more comfortable and adventuresome with it. They've tried it a few times without FaceTime, making voices and imagination all important, and they've definitely gotten more 'visual.' Either way, it's hot and fun and exciting, though it's still an inadequate substitute for the real thing. But at this point, it beats the hell out of nothing, and he's grateful for any type of intimacy they can share.

On this particular night, however, sex is not on the agenda. At Tim's suggestion, and in spite of his earlier hesitance to talk about serious stuff while they're apart, this evening, in one intense FaceTime conversation, they manage to work their way through the last couple of concerns each of them have wanted to address.

"Okay, so I know I put up a roadblock, but I've come around again, and we just need to get everything out there. Be done with it all, you know? Whatever else is hanging over us." Tim holds up his wine glass so that Armie can see it. "I've got my wine...I'm ready. So, you go first. What have you got?"

Armie holds up his glass of scotch in solidarity. He's glad that Tim is up for this tonight because there are a couple of things that have been weighing on him. "How about we start with my kids?"

"Right." Tim nods in agreement. "Okay, that's legit. So are you worried that you having a relationship with another man will mess them up? Like, you'll need to pay for therapy for them for the rest of their lives?"

Armie laughs. "No...Jesus. I hope we're raising these kids to be accepting of all types of love. Besides, they already adore you. They'll be fine with it. Honestly, I'm more concerned about how the divorce might impact them than I am about how you and I being together might." 

Timmy looks understandably confused. "Okay, so what's the concern about your kids then?"

He hesitates because he knows Tim won't like this. "To be honest, my concern is how my kids will affect _your_ life. They'll be with me at least half the time, maybe more, which means that you and I will have them at least some of the time whenever we manage to be together." He takes a breath before continuing because this is the part he knows will not go well. "I guess I just feel that asking you to assume something of a parental role at such a young age feels unfair. That's a lot for you to take on at this point in your life."

The reaction is immediate and even more intense than he expected. Before he can explain further, Tim interrupts, sounding more than a little pissed. "What the fuck?! Are you actually serious? Armie, I'm not some fucking kid with no concept of what I'm getting into here. I'm very much aware of _everything_ that a relationship with you involves, including your kids. Jesus..."

"I know that, Tim, and believe me, I'm not questioning your maturity or your ability to deal with this. I know you're more than capable of handling it all. What I'm _saying_ is that I feel like I'm burdening you with it." 

"No." He's clearly still fuming. "No, man, that's bullshit. My _age_ has nothing to do with this. But even beyond that, there's something you're just not seeing. You really don't get why I'm upset, do you?" 

"Apparently not." He knows he sounds defensive. "So why don't you explain it me."

"Armie, you're acting like you're inflicting your kids on me. But you're missing a big fucking point here. The point is that your kids are not baggage, or something I need to put up with. Those two are a bonus. They're such a _huge_ bonus. Man, every time I look at them, I see a part of you, and it's like getting you three times over! They're amazing human beings, and it feels like such a gift to get to be a part of their lives...not a fucking burden."

Armie can barely breathe as he lets that sink in. He feels the sting of tears as he accepts the import and the sincerity of Tim's words. He has no time to formulate a response before Tim is off again, clearly on a role.

"And since you've decided that us being together is going to ruin my life, before you start telling me how our relationship is going to affect my fucking career, you have to know that _none_ of that means anything if I can't share it with you. Fuck, man, if you don't get that, then what are we even doing? _Any_ impact this might have on my career is _so_ not important."

Tim picks up his glass of wine and downs half the glass. "I'm very aware that there may be some consequences, but it's not like I'll never work again, and to be honest, I'm not convinced it's going to be that big a deal. But the point is, whatever happens, it's a risk I'm more than willing to take. And what about you and _your_ career, huh? I'm not the only one putting it all on the line here. You're sacrificing and risking a hell of a lot more than I am for this." 

He pauses, but clearly has more to say. "Armie, there's no way either of us can possibly know what effect our relationship will have on our work or what other issues we may have to face down the road, but what I _do_ know is that I'm willing to deal with a whole ton of shit for the chance to be with you, and I thought you felt the same." 

"I _do_ , Tim. Of _course_ I do. God, I'd walk through hell and back to be with you." He tries to come up with the right words. "I just..." Before he can continue, Tim cuts him off again. 

"And since you mentioned my age, I suppose _that's_ an issue for you too, huh?" 

_What?_ This has completely spiraled out of control. "No, of course not! Tim, you're _years_ ahead of me in wisdom and maturity. Believe me, I've got no problem with your age at all." He's prepared to go on, not sure how to convince him, when he catches the hint of a smirk on Tim's face. _Seriously? What the fuck?_ So, the little shit is deliberately goading him now. 

Armie gives him a look that lets him know he's onto him, and a satisfied smile spreads across Tim's face. 

"Ah, so you _like_ younger men then, huh? You into twinks, grandpa?"

Armie can't help but laugh. Jesus, talk about an emotional roller coaster. "I can't say I've ever given it much thought, but I'm sure as hell into you. And what about you? Do older guys do it for you, sonny?"

Tim chuckles. "I wouldn't say they do in general, but you definitely do it for me." 

They're both laughing now as Tim speaks again, shaking his head in apparent frustration. "You know, you can be an oblivious, condescending asshole sometimes."

Armie nods and smiles. "Yep, I know. And you can be bullheaded as hell and an insufferable, irritating smartass."

Tim grins at him. "Can't argue with that. And, by the way, the bullheaded thing goes both ways."

Armie grimaces and reluctantly nods an acknowledgement. 

"Anyway, look, I'm sorry I went off, but Jesus, Armie, this needs to be an equal partnership if it's going to work." 

"Absolutely, but how the hell are we going to get to that point if we can't say what's on our minds? I thought we agreed that we could bring up anything that we were concerned about and that we could talk through it." 

"We did. You're right, I'm sorry. But fuck, I get so tired of people thinking that because of my age I can't deal with shit."

Armie starts to interrupt, but Tim holds up a hand. "And I _know_ that's not what you were saying and that I overreacted. Anyway, I'm glad you felt that you could voice your concerns, even if _I_ felt that they were misplaced. So, I think we both got our points across, didn't we? "

He smiles. "Yeah, but maybe next time we can do it without shouting at each other."

"Agreed." Tim gives him a seductive look. "Though I gotta say, you're sexy as hell when you're riled up."

"Fucker." Armie feels the stirrings of arousal. "So are you."

They grin stupidly at each other for a moment before Tim sobers. "Seriously though, man, there is one last thing - since we said any issue, and this is one _you're_ probably not going to like." 

His mood instantly switches from amorous to wary. "Okay. Go ahead, I'm listening."

Tim looks hesitant as he huffs out a breath. "Okay, well, I really hate to bring this up, but one thing we haven't talked about is your parents and how they're going to react to our relationship."

It's Armie's turn to interrupt loudly and emphatically. "And we're not going to because it's completely irrelevant. Their issues are _their_ fucking issues. I'm well past the point of caring what they think or worrying about trying to please them. If they choose to cut me out of their life, that's their loss, not mine. And I'll be damned if I'm ever going to let them treat you disrespectfully." 

Tim now looks relieved. "Okay. Understood. I mean, I guess I assumed that would be your reaction, but I had to get it out there."

"Yeah, I get it. So are we finally done with all this shit?"

Timmy shakes his head. "Fuck, I hope so. I think it's safe to say that we've covered all the important stuff and then some. If we've survived all this, we should be good." He raises his wine glass. "Here's to us."

Armie mirrors the action with his scotch. "To us." 

The both drink and as Tim sets his glass back down, he laughs. "Well, after all this, I think we should save the kink negotiation for another day."

Armie has just taken another sip of his scotch and he coughs as he almost chokes on it. "Who says I have any kinks?" 

Tim chortles. "Ha-ha. Whatever, Mr. 'I like every Shibari post on Twitter.'"

He can't help but grin at that. "Hey, I happen to have a fascination with knots. Doesn't mean I have a bondage kink." 

Tim just shakes his head and rolls his eyes. "Yeah, right, okay, but I'm not - and that's N-o-t, by the way - going there right now, because as of this moment, I'm declaring that we are _done_ talking about any issues or complications or baggage of any kind and we are now going to focus on the good stuff. 

"Fuck, man, we've waited _so_ long for this chance, and I think we deserve to just be happy for a while and enjoy getting to know each other in a much more intimate way, emotionally and physically. There'll be plenty of time later to work through anything else that might come up. You okay with that?"

Armie feels a relieved smile spread across his face. "Fuck, T., yeah. I'm very okay with that." 

"All right, then. So, just get your ass to New York ASAP, la muvi star, because I fucking need you here." 

 

****

*****

Thursday evening, two days after that conversation, Armie is back in LA. The timing couldn't have worked out better. He'll spend the next couple of days with the kids and then head to New York on Sunday. Tim only has a matinee on Sunday, and Monday is dark, so his next performance won't be until Tuesday evening. Arriving Sunday evening means that they'll have two entire days before anything interferes with their time together.

They text off and on throughout the day as Armie makes his way there. Once they land, he snags a Lyft, and when he's settled into the backseat and they're on the road, he finally calls Tim.

Tim picks up immediately. "Hey. Where are you?"

"Just pulling out of JFK, headed your way."

"Okay, great. And before you say anything else, I get that you're in a car with a stranger and that you're going to be careful about what you say."

Armie smiles. Of course he gets it. He's been in this same position many times. Though he didn't get any indication that this driver has any idea who he is, he had already decided he was not going to take any chances. "Yep. As usual, we're on the same page."

Tim laughs. "Yeah, I guess that's not a surprise. Man, I can't believe you're really here. God, I'm nervous though, which is crazy, right?"

His heart skips a beat, and he can't help but laugh. "No, it's not crazy..." He stops himself from adding 'Tim,' or even 'T' to the end of that. "That same feeling hit me somewhere over the Midwest."

Tim chuckles. "I mean, I know we've talked every day, but it feels like we've been apart forever and now _everything_ has changed."

"Yeah, it has, but in the best possible way." He can't shake the feeling that, even though this driver seems oblivious, they have to be super careful now. So he changes the subject to something innocuous. They've got plenty of time for intimate conversation the next couple of days.

"So, do you want me to stop and pick up food on my way?"

He can almost hear the grin in Tim's response. "Thanks for the offer, but that won't be necessary. I cooked."

He's honestly not sure he heard correctly. "Wait. What?"

"Yep. Lasagna. My momma's recipe."

"You made lasagna?"

"Yeah. I've got a real kitchen now, so I can cook for you." Armie hesitates long enough for Timmy to add, "What?" 

He knows he's going to regret this, but he just can't seem to help himself. "Nothing. It's just...I'm glad you've got a real kitchen now, and please don't take this the wrong way, but I didn't know you knew how to cook."

"Whoa. So tell me how I'm _not_ supposed to take that the wrong way. That's like...fucking rude, right?"

Armie chuckles. "Yeah, I suppose it is, but you're deflecting. Just answer the question."

It's a few beats before Tim responds. "Well, technically...no. But I do okay with breakfast stuff, and I can make pasta and a few other things. Besides, asshole, you should be appreciative that I made the effort instead of insulting me."

Now he laughs. "You're right. You're absolutely right. My apologies. I _do_ appreciate it, and I'm looking forward to your lasagna."

Tim snickers. "That's better. Besides, my mom walked me through the whole thing, so I think it's okay. She says 'hi' by the way."

Armie really wants to ask if Nicole knows about them, but decides that question can wait. "I hope I get a chance to see your folks while I'm here."

"Yeah, they'd like that. And in case you're wondering, I haven't told them anything yet. I didn't want to until we'd had this time together."

Once more, Tim is reading his mind. "Okay. I mean, obviously, that's your call, but I'm glad. That way, if we do get together with them, there won't be added pressure."

"Exactly my thought. Although, you know, Mom reads me like a book. She hasn't said anything, but I think the fact that I wanted to learn to cook something, for like, the first time ever, may have given her all the confirmation she needs."

Armie laughs. "Yeah, well, your family always seems to be ahead of the curve on everything, so I'm not really surprised." 

He glances out the window, trying to ascertain their location. "Looks like we're getting close to the Midtown Tunnel."

"Already? So, traffic must not be too bad."

"It's really not. Sunday evening and all."

"Okay, then I gotta go because I've got a couple more things to finish up. Text me when you get here?"

"Okay. So, I guess I'll see you soon. Fuck, I can't believe I'm finally here."

"Me either. And I get you all to myself for almost two full days." 

"I think that works both ways. I'll text you when I get there."

 

****

*****

His adrenaline is pumping as he gets out of the car in front of Tim's building. He sends off his text before walking in. _Just pulled up in front of your place._

His phone pings immediately with a response. _Doorman's expecting you. My door's open. Let yourself in._

The 'let yourself in' surprises him, but he's already walking into the lobby when he reads it, and the doorman greets him with a smile.

"Good evening, sir. How can I help you?"

"Hi, yeah, how are you doing? Armie Hammer for Timothée Chalamet." 

"Of course, Mr. Hammer. Mr. Chalamet is expecting you." He gestures to the elevators. "Sixty-seventh floor, turn right. All the way to the end of the hall. Number 6708." 

"Great. Thanks." Armie has actually been here with Tim once before, but it was several months ago, and it was only a brief stop on their way to somewhere else. It all looks familiar, but the directions are appreciated. 

Armie's heart is pounding against his chest as he rides the elevator up, and it feels wildly out of control as he knocks lightly on Tim's door. He takes a deep breath before pushing it open and stepping inside. 

"Timmy?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There may be a bit longer delay getting the last couple of chapters posted, but they are coming...I promise! I'm looking forward to these guys finally getting to be together, in every way.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long wait, but our boys are finally together!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I _finally_ gave in and changed the chapter count on this to '?', which I should have done long ago. We really are coming to the end, but it always takes a bit longer than I expect. So...apologies! 
> 
> I wish I could find a better phrase than 'thank you' to tell KendylGirl how grateful I am for her careful proofreading and invaluable suggestions on each chapter. It seems inadequate, but it's the best I've got, so _Thank you!_ You are very much appreciated. :)

The butterflies in his stomach are seriously making him nauseous, and he wonders if he might actually hyperventilate as he waits for Armie to make his way up from the lobby. It's been a long, fucking month, and these last few minutes are nothing less than excruciating. He feels like a nervous teenager on the night he plans to lose his virginity. _Jesus, Timmy, relax. It's just Armie. Breathe._ He's just about managed to calm himself down when he hears a light tap on the door and his heart leaps into his throat. He's positioned himself so that, when the door slowly opens, he's mostly hidden behind it, giving him an opportunity for a surprise attack. He holds his breath as Armie steps into the apartment.

"Timmy?"

He quietly waits until Armie is far enough into the room to allow him to slam the door shut before pouncing on Armie from behind.

"Jesus Fucking Christ! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Armie somehow manages to stay upright as Tim bowls into him. It takes him a minute to regain his balance before he turns to face Tim, and the minute their eyes meet, Armie's expression transforms from startled to joyous. One hand grabs Tim's shoulder while the other threads into his curls. "Fuck, if you aren't a sight for sore eyes." 

Tim feels himself being gathered into Armie's embrace and he can't resist throwing his arms around Armie's neck, climbing him, ala Elio, which makes Armie chuckle. They pull back just enough to lock eyes, and when their lips meet, he's overwhelmed by the glorious sensations and a feeling of such incredible joy. He honestly can't remember ever being quite this blissfully happy.

When they're forced to take a break to catch their breath, Tim makes a show of glancing at Armie's suitcase. "Ah, so just the one suitcase then? No extra baggage?"

Armie laughs. "You're fucking hilarious." Tim watches his expression sober as he seems to realize that Tim's comment is only half jest. "None. I promise. I've left it all behind. From now on, it's just you and me and all the good stuff we've waited so long for."

Tim smiles, nodding. That's what he wanted to hear. "Good, because my plan for the next few days is to make sure you have no doubts about just how fucking good it can be." He leans in and kisses Armie again. It starts slow and sensual, but rapidly escalates to desperate and needy, and he's pleased to note, not just on his side. He can't help thrusting his hips forward in an effort to deepen their contact.

 _Fuck._ He's rock hard already, and though he'd had the best intentions to take the evening slow, savoring this time together, sharing a nice meal, eventually working up to some mind-blowing sex, he knows he's already lost.

"So I know you just got here and there's food, and you're probably hungry, and you've been travelling, but..." He says all of this as he unzips Armie's jacket, peels it off his shoulders, and throws it over Armie's suitcase. "...do you have any idea just how much super-human restraint I've had to employ over the last couple of years to keep from jumping you so many fucking times? My self-control has reached its absolute limit, and the reality here is that if you and I aren't naked in my bed in the next five minutes, I'm probably gonna come untouched in pants, and that's definitely a scenario I'd prefer to avoid. So please, can we fuck now?"

Armie smirks and Tim catches the moan that escapes as he pulls Tim tighter against him, moving his hips forward to meet Tim's thrusts. Tim can feel the warmth of Armie's breath against his neck as he whispers, "Well, if you insist." 

Armie attempts to bring their lips together again, but Tim has only one focus now. He's already pulled back and is moving towards the bedroom, stripping his sweater and t-shirt off as he goes. "Alright then, let's go, Hammer. I'm serious about the pants thing. Andiamo, Americano!" 

He's several steps ahead, but he hears Armie laugh as he follows. They shed their clothes quickly and Tim looks Armie up and down before he grins and throws himself onto his back on the bed. He can only imagines what he looks like...rock hard and leaking as he gazes up at Armie, pupils no doubt blown with his all-consuming need to feel Armie's hands and lips on his skin.

He shivers as Armie's gaze travels over his body with eyes full of desire and an almost reverential expression. "Jesus, Tim, you take my breath away. I've wanted you for _so_ fucking long."

Armie's gaze and his words stir a whirlwind of emotions, but intense arousal wins for the moment. He offers his best seductive smile as he holds out his arms. "Then come have me. You and I have been making our way towards this moment since the day you burst in on my piano lesson." For some perverse reason, nerves probably a contributing factor, he can't seem to help himself as he adds, "Well, not this _exact_ moment, but one when you're actually _in_ this bed with me instead of standing there, halfway across the fucking room."

Armie smirks as he continues to stare, and Tim chastises himself, shaking his head in frustration. "Jesus, Timmy, time and place. Way to kill a mood." 

Armie's expression softens to a grin. "Oh, I don't know. Looks to me like someone is still very much in the mood."

"Aarrmmiieee! Do you want me to beg? Is this a kink I need to know about?" He holds his arms out again. "If so, can we discuss it later? Seriously, man, I need you _now._ " 

Grinning broadly, Armie moves to the bed and gently settles along the entire length of him, his hard cock pressing against Tim's hip. Tim shivers slightly, a combination of nerves and anticipation, as Armie reaches out and gently brushes his fingers along the side of his face.

"No, not a kink, but the sight of you, naked on this bed...waiting for _me,_ it was just... "His voice trails off as he seems to struggle to find words.

Tim is truly touched by Armie's sweet declaration, but all he can focus on now is his need for Armie's touch. He's so hard it's almost painful. He reaches out, cupping Armie's face with his hands. "I get it, Armz, seriously, but for the love of God, _please_ do something about it."

"Getting a bit bossy, aren't we?"

Tim glares at him, not sure how much more he can take. "Aarrmmiieee!"

"Fine." Armie leans down, bringing their lips together as his hands begin to get acquainted with Tim's body. 

Tim closes his eyes and attempts to give himself up to the incredible, intense sensations, but as he's always been prone to self-doubt, out of nowhere, the bravado that spurred him to drag Armie to bed the minute he arrived falters, and he starts to second-guess the situation, allowing his nerves to get the best of him. He begins to wonder if Armie's hesitation to join him on the bed was because Tim had pushed him before he was ready, or maybe Armie thinks Tim expects them to go straight to anal sex. _Fuck._

Armie is now focused on kissing and nipping Tim's neck, which feels fucking amazing, but it gives Tim an opportunity to speak. He keeps his gaze on the ceiling as he says, "Just so you know, when I said we should fuck now, I didn't mean...actual fucking. I mean, I absolutely want that, but only when we're both ready. Like that's something we should work up to?" 

Armie stops kissing Tim's neck and pulls back to look down at him, clearly waiting for him to continue. Tim nervously runs his hand up and down Armie's arm as he says, " I know I pushed you for this, and I was honestly thinking just a quick 'getting each other off'...or, you know, we don't have to do anything at all." 

"Tim..."

He knows he's rambling, but he can't seem to stop. "I mean I can take care of myself and we can just..."

Armie speaks louder this time, placing his hand firmly against Tim's chest. "Timmy...stop talking and look at me, please." 

He reluctantly shifts his gaze to Armie's face, and what he sees there not only reassures him, but causes his heart to skip a beat.

Armie smiles warmly, moving his hand to cup Tim's cheek as he leans in and kisses him tenderly. When he pulls back, he moves his hand to card through Tim's hair as he says, "First of all, you do realize that I'm perfectly capable of saying no if I want to, right?"

Tim feels like an idiot. "Yeah, of course."

"And second, I'm nervous too, T. This is a big deal for both of us. But the God's honest truth is..." He resumes trailing kisses along Tim's neck, speaking in between kisses. "...there's no place...I'd rather be...at this moment...than in this bed...with you." He stops what he's doing and looks back up, making eye contact again. "So how about we take it slow now and sort out details later, okay?"

Tim smiles and nods in relief, reaching up to frame Armie's face in his hands. He pulls him in to bring their lips together once more, and having regained his composure, his desire fully reignites. 

Armie grins as he pulls back from the kiss. Scooting lower, he kisses his way slowly down Tim's chest, his whiskers on Tim's bare skin alternately tickling and arousing. When he reaches Tim's nipples, he flicks one with his tongue before sucking it into his mouth. 

"Fuck!" Tim rears up, his body pulsing now, and in spite of his best efforts to prolong this intense pleasure, he knows he won't last long. "Armie, I need your hand on me now...please."

"Lube?" 

He reaches blindly for the bottle that he'd left on the bedside table, fumbling it into Armie's hand as he tries to think of _anything_ but how close to the edge he is.

It's all but over as soon as Armie's hand wraps around him, stroking slowly from base to tip a few times before the little extra pressure that Armie applies to the underside with his thumb sends Tim over the edge. 

He comes gasping Armie's name, and even as the waves of his orgasm continue to wash over him, he begins to feel the shame of not being able to last more than a couple of minutes. He brings his hands up to cover his face, shaking his head in embarrassment. "Fuck."

He knows he has to apologize, and once he's able to string words together, he keeps his hands over his face so that he doesn't have to look at Armie as he speaks. "Fuck, I'm so sorry. You barely touched me and it was all over. You might as well be in bed with a fucking hormonal teenager!" 

He waits to be chastised, but his words are met with silence. He grits his teeth, waiting for some sort of response...anything, but he gets...nothing. Fuck, that's it. It's over. He's ruined everything. When he absolutely can't take the silence any longer, he peeks through his fingers to glance up at Armie, expecting to see frustration or disappointment or total rebuke, but what he sees is Armie grinning from ear to ear. _What the hell?_

Armie had clearly been waiting for Tim to make eye contact. "Do you have any idea how adorable you are?" He pulls Tim's hands completely away from his face, as he leans down to drop several kisses to his lips.

Tim huffs out a relieved breath. "Well, I obviously missed 'sex god' by a huge fucking mile, so I guess I'll have to settle for 'adorable.'"

Armie laughs, but it's clearly not meant as a disparagement. "You're an adorable sex god."

"Yeah, right. I highly doubt there is such a thing."

"Oh, there definitely is, because it's you." Armie drops a few more kisses to Tim's face before adding kindly, clearly concerned about Tim's feelings, "To be fair, you _did_ warn me up front about your state of arousal and I have to say, it's fucking flattering to know that I can do that to you. I promise there'll be many, many opportunities in the future for you to demonstrate your youthful stamina. So can you please stop beating yourself up and consider returning the favor, maybe?"

Tim feels such gratitude and love for Armie right now. "You are forever and always my amazing and supportive dance partner." Tim raises up to kiss Armie as he places his hands on Armie's shoulders, shoving him over onto his back. "It would be my pleasure to pleasure you." 

He throws his leg over Armie, sitting on him and positioning himself so that his ass rubs against Armie's cock as he leans down. 

He's rewarded with a murmured, "Fuck," as Armie wraps his arms around Tim, pulling him tighter against him.

He smiles as he frames Armie's face, lightly brushing his lips against Armie's cheek. The stubble tickles a bit, but the warmth of his skin, combined with that clean, slightly woody scent that is uniquely Armie is heaven. He bites playfully at Armie's bottom lip, teasing and licking all around his mouth before thrusting his tongue inside, kissing him deeply as he grinds his ass back to increase that contact.

This time Armie moans, thrusting upward while trying to push Tim back further against him.

He needs to reposition in order to work his way lower, and as he slides off Armie's lap, he hears a frustrated noise as he feels Armie's hands trying to pull him back. He laughs and drops a quick kiss to Armie's chest as he says, "Patience, patience. I'll take good care of you, I promise. Spread your legs for me." 

Armie grins as he complies. Tim settles along his side, allowing for better access to more of the man beside him and he takes a moment to appreciate what he sees. "Jesus, you are fucking stunning." This is barely whispered as he begins, with the barest of touches, to gently skim the tips of his fingers over Armie's skin. He starts across his chest, moving down his side, along the outside of his leg, to his ankle, and then back up his inner thigh...carefully avoiding contact with his cock. Armie huffs out a breath, as he writhes under the tease. 

Tim continues, slowly adding more pressure to his strokes, starting to pay subtle attention to Armie's nipples and balls, but studiously avoiding the main event. 

When he senses Armie's impatience for more, he adds a second layer of stimulation, exploring and caressing with his mouth as well, kissing and nipping as he moves over Armie's body, while his hand finally strokes gently over Armie's cock. Armie is visibly shivering now, thrusting up as Tim kisses his way lower, finally licking at Armie's head before slowly and deliberately licking his way up from the base to the tip.

"Jesus..." It's whispered on an exhale.

He smiles before taking him in, making an effort to prolong the experience, especially as his quick release had also robbed Armie of the joy obtained from bringing someone you care about such physical pleasure. He works at slowly building arousal before easing off and starting the process over again. 

In spite of his desire to draw it out, he soon feels Armie's hand frantically grab his shoulder, a clear warning that he is close. Though Tim's never been a fan of swallowing, he finds that he wants to with Armie...one more way to be connected to him, so instead of pulling back, he takes him deeper, increasing the tempo and intensity of his motions until Armie comes apart, shuddering. 

Tim stays where he is as Armie works through his orgasm and once Armie's breathing evens out a bit, he moves back up and settles beside Armie, throwing an arm over him and pulling him close. 

Armie shakes his head as he grins. "Fuck, T, that was amazing. Looks like you weren't the only one who couldn't last." 

Tim kisses Armie's shoulder and draws circles on his chest as he says, "Well, now that we've satisfied one hunger, we should probably take care of the other." 

As if on cue, Armie's stomach growls and they both burst out laughing.

"Sounds like someone's definitely worked up an appetite." 

Armie chuckles. "Well, you know me and food and that lasagna of yours smells amazing, but I could really use a shower before we eat."

Tim nods in understanding. "Of course. Use mine, not the one in the guest bath. It's bigger and nicer. There should be towels in there. Anything else you need?"

"Yeah, actually, there is...you." Armie reaches out and grabs him, rolling them over so that Tim is now on his back looking up as Armie leans down and kisses him thoroughly. He drops a couple more quick kisses before he asks, "Is that shower of yours big enough for two?"

Tim raises his eyebrows in surprise and smiles. "Well, it's definitely big enough for two normal size people. Not sure about a normal sized person and a giant."

"You're hilarious. But since I don't plan on letting you out of my sight any time soon, how about we give it a try?"

Tim laughs as he pushes out from under Armie and stands, holding out a hand to him. "I'm in." 

This amazing master bath was one of the things that sold Tim on this place. In addition to the heated tile floors and the large whirlpool tub, which they will definitely take advantage of while Armie is here, the over-sized shower has a top-end rain and waterfall showerhead with a built in sound system. 

"Fucking hell, dude, I want your life."

"Yeah, it's not bad, but it's a lot more fun sharing it with you."

They step into the shower and kiss languidly for several minutes while the water gently cascades down over them. Tim is relishing these kisses which are far more relaxed than urgent. They've at least temporarily sated their sexual desire for each other and though the needy, desperate kisses are amazing, this feels more like love than lust and it's intoxicating. 

When they pull back, Armie smiles softly, hands cupping Tim's face. His expression sobers as he holds Tim's gaze. "I never imagined saying this for the first time in your shower, and to be honest, I never thought I'd get a chance to say it to you at all."

 _Holy shit._ Tim's heart is pounding as he wraps his arms around Armie's waist, pouring all of the love he is feeling into the look he returns. 

Armie lets out a ragged breath before he speaks. "My whole life, I've felt incomplete in some major way. Like I was never enough...and I knew I never _would_ be enough. I had all of these gaping holes and empty spaces inside me that nothing could ever fill...until I met you.

"From the beginning, you made me feel like I mattered...like I had value, and you inspired me to try to become the person that you believed I was. And whenever I'm with you, I _am_ that person, T., because you've seeped into every cell of my body and you've managed to fill all of those holes and spaces with your light and your joy and your confidence...all of the things I was missing. You've made me whole in a way I never thought possible, and I'll never be complete without you because you've become the best part of me."

Tim's heart is so full, he wonders if it might actually burst. It's not just Armie's words, but the depth of emotion behind them that completely undoes him. He feels the tears streaming down his face, and he briefly wonders if the shower water will hide them, but he realizes he doesn't care in the least.

Armie's voice quavers as he struggles to finish. "Tim, you are a gift to the world, but to me, you are everything...and I _love_ you. God, I love you _so_ fucking much."

Tim has thought about this moment so many times...longed for it, wondering what Armie might say, never dreaming it would be so heartfelt, and so eloquent, and so absolutely perfect.

"Jesus, Armie." He buries his face in Armie's shoulder as Armie's arms wrap tightly around him. He tries to get a grip and find a way to respond in any sort of worthy way.

He's spent hours over the last couple of weeks trying come up with the perfect words to express the profoundness of what he feels, knowing that it was really an impossible task. He takes a deep breath and pulls back to make eye contact again.

"That was...wow. Beautiful. I'll never be able to top that, so I guess all I can do is say what's in my heart.

He takes a deep breath and begins. "You talked about holes and empty spaces. For me, it's been more about turbulence and demons. It's like I've always had this roiling sea inside of me that was constantly threatening to capsize the flimsy raft that was keeping me afloat. But something fundamental changed for me when I met you.

"You made me see that those intense emotions that have always been so scary for me and so close to the surface could actually be considered a gift and something to be used to my advantage. And you've always been right there beside me to offer the safety and acceptance to embrace them."

He stops long enough to search Armie's eyes for a reaction and he sees nothing but love and encouragement there. "During our press tour, whenever I felt myself getting worked up or feeling overwhelmed, I'd feel the touch of your hand on my arm or my shoulder or around my waist, pulling me close, taking on the role of protector. And you've never stopped doing that. 

"Armie, you are my rock and my safe place and I love you _so_ much. I love you with all my heart and soul. I honestly never knew it was possible to love someone as deeply and as surely as I love you." He reaches out and places his hand over Armie's heart. "We joke about you being a big guy, but the absolute biggest part of you is beating here under my hand." 

He smiles shyly and shakes his head. "There's so much more to say, but that's enough for now. Other than to say that I think we owe Luca an extravagantly expensive meal with an excellent bottle of wine the next time we're all together." 

In spite of the water falling on them, the tears in Armie's eyes are obvious and his smile is shaky, as is his voice when he speaks. "We definitely owe him. Tim, I'll never know how I got lucky enough to have you in my life, but I'm selfish enough to say that I don't plan on letting you go...ever."

"No need to worry, because I'm not going anywhere without you...ever."

The kisses that follow their emotional declarations taste of their combined tears, and feel joyous and lighthearted.

He grins up at Armie as he says, "And just to make sure that you really understand exactly how I feel about you, I plan to serenade you later with a few verses and a little soft-shoe rendition of Cole Porter's _You're the Top_."

Armie laughs. "Yeah? I'm honored, and I suppose you just _happen_ to know all the words."

Tim gives him an incredulous look. "Dude, do I have to remind you that I went to a performing arts high school? Of _course_ I know all the words. But I'm only using some of the original lyrics. _My_ version will be unique." 

"Really? Sounds intriguing."

"Mmm. I've rewritten a few of the lines, and depending on my mood, it may or may not turn into a bit of a striptease, but it will definitely be topped off (pun intended) with a lap dance."

Tim is rewarded with Armie's surprised laughter as he reaches out and brings Tim closer. "Yeah, baby, bring it on. I'm totally up for that." 

Tim chuckles. "I thought you might be. Especially since _you're the top_ is gonna become a reality here soon. Pun most definitely intended."

"Fuck." Armie huffs out a breath, shaking his head, looking anything but under control. "Jesus, okay, but with all of that to look forward to and because, to be honest, I could eat a horse right now, I suggest we finish up here and get on with the rest of the evening."

"That's the man I love. Food first...everything else second."

"Oh yeah? You're going to pay for that, my love." 

Armie's fingers instinctively zero in on his most ticklish spots, and Tim ends up dissolving into a fit of giggles on the shower floor, happier than he's ever been in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, a big thank you to my readers! I'm so grateful that you are all hanging in there with me on this. Their happy ending is in sight.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, my apologies for the delay in getting this chapter posted. Dealing with a bit of writer's block, but I'm hopefully working through it. Thank you all for your patience and for sticking with this story. I'm thinking two more chapters should wrap it up.
> 
> There are a few French phrases in this chapter. Translations courtesy of Google translate are in the end notes. Any native French speakers, feel free to correct my attempts!
> 
> And finally, Kendylgirl is like the gift that keeps on giving! She very patiently points out the _same_ mistakes I continue to make over and over, in the kindest way possible. I'm so grateful for her advice and support. :)

Armie leans back in his chair, feeling stuffed to the gills, and ill-advised though it may be, he's seriously considering having just a little more. He couldn't have been more surprised to discover that not only is Tim's lasagna edible, it's fucking delicious. He's never had lasagna like it, and though he can't quite pin down what's different, he can't get enough of it.

He breathes in and out a few times before making the wise choice, shaking his head in resignation as he shoves his plate away. There'll always be leftovers, right? 

He massages his full stomach as he looks up at Tim, and he can't help but smile at the look on Tim's face. Tim is grinning at him like the Cheshire Cat.

"Yeah, okay, so, my humblest apologies, Monsieur Chalamet. I admit that I was _completely_ wrong about the level of your culinary expertise. Seriously, dude, that's like, the best lasagna I've ever had."

Tim appears to revel in Armie's groveling, and he smirks before he responds. "Apology accepted. I mean, to be honest, if I were you, I'd have had the same reservations. It's not like I've ever cooked anything like this before, and who knew it would even be fit for consumption? It's all Mom's recipe. That and the fact that she talked me through it step by step. It's more of a French lasagna than an Italian one, which is why it's so different, and there are a couple of secret ingredients. So she really deserves the praise for this." 

"Can we call her now? I'd like to say hi anyway."

"Sure, if you want." Tim pulls out his phone and places the call.

_"Hey, honey."_

"Hey, Mom. I've got you on speaker. There's someone here who wants to say hi."

Armie leans in as he says, "Nicole! Hey, it's Armie."

_"Armie! Hi, how are you?"_

"Doing well, thanks, but even better after the amazing lasagna your son fixed for me."

_"Great. I take it turned out okay?"_

Tim chimes in. "He had three helpings. I think he liked it."

"Liked it? I had to restrain myself from going back for four. I told Timmy it's seriously the best lasagna I've ever had. He said it was your recipe and that there were secret ingredients. Care to share?"

She laughs. _"Well, they're not really secret. It's just the difference between French cooking and Italian. To start with, it uses a béchamel sauce and French cheeses rather than classic Italian ones like parmesan or ricotta. Also, I add nutmeg, and the other key is the vermouth in the meat sauce."_

"Ah, half of a martini! No wonder it's so good. Booze is guaranteed to make everything better."

_"Ha, yes, well that's certainly true in a lot of cooking...wine, vermouth...Scotch with red meat. Have Timmy give you the recipe."_

"I will, thanks."

_"Are we going to get to see you while you're here?"_

Armie looks at Tim, nodding, and Tim speaks up again. "We've got plans for the next couple of days, but maybe we can meet you guys for lunch on Wednesday or Thursday."

_"That sounds good. I'll check with your dad, but I think that works for me. Give me a call tomorrow, Timmy, and we'll firm it up."_

"Okay."

_"Armie, I'm glad you liked the lasagna and I'll look forward to seeing you mid-week."_

"Likewise, Nicole."

"Okay, Mom. I'll call you tomorrow afternoon. Love you."

_"Love you too, honey. Bye."_

Armie smirks as Tim disconnects the call. " _Plans_ for the next couple of days?"

Tim looks all innocent. "What? We _do_ have plans. Am I supposed to tell my mother that I plan on keeping you in bed as my sex slave for the next 48 hours?"

Armie laughs. "I dare you."

"No fucking way. Though she probably already knows."

"What?"

"I mean, we've never actually talked about it, but we've had enough conversations around the issue that I'm sure she's figured out how I feel. She knows about your divorce, so she probably suspects that this might be more than a casual visit. Anyway, I'll tell them soon, but enough about my mom. This is our evening."

 

****

****

*****

"So are you ready to hear my song?" They've been comfortably settled on the sofa for a while, Tim tucked up beside him, enjoying casual conversation and a bottle of whiskey that is almost as good as the one Tim sent him for his birthday. 

Timmy sits up now, clearly excited to get on with it, and Armie can't wait to see what he's come up with. "Let's see...drink in hand, lap ready and waiting for the lap dance to come...yeah, man, I'm ready."

"Right." Tim sets his drink down as he stands. "So, I was gonna do a Lil Timmy Tim rap, but that felt too predictable, and besides, what could ever top 'Statistics'?" 

Armie offers an acknowledging shrug. "Can't argue with you there. 'Statistics' is a modern classic." 

Tim snorts. "Anyway, you're getting an old Broadway number instead. I don't have music or a real top hat and cane, but I don't need music and my hat and cane will be _suggested._

"I think 'You're the Top' was written sometime in the 1930's, so the lyrics are really dated. I mean, what the hell's a Bendel bonnet anyway? So, just to get the feel for it, I'm starting with a few lines from the original Cole Porter version and then switching to my lyrics, which I think you'll enjoy even more."

Armie wolf-whistles and claps. "I'm totally up for this, so bring it on, babe." 

Tim rolls his eyes as he quickly shakes out his hands and legs, taking a deep breath. He smiles as he makes a sweeping bow before placing an imaginary top hat on his head and catching an imaginary cane that has been thrown to him. He hums the initial opening bars of the music as he sways back and forth, holding the 'cane' with both hands in front of him.

_I hate parading my serenading_  
_As I'll probably miss a bar,_  
_But if this ditty is not so pretty,_  
_At least it'll tell you how great you are._

He starts dancing a soft shoe, incorporating the 'cane' and 'hat' into his moves. Armie can't keep the stupid grin off his face. 

_You're the top! You're the Colosseum,_  
_You're the top! You're the Louvre Museum,_  
_You're the Nile, You're the Tower of Pisa,_  
_You're the smile on the Mona Lisa._  
_I'm a worthless check, a total wreck, a flop,_  
_But if, Baby, I'm the bottom,_  
_You're the top!_

He grins at Armie as he throws away the 'hat' and 'cane' and begins strutting in a more suggestive fashion, swaying his hips and waving his arms over his head as he moves closer to Armie. He grabs the bottom of his sweater, lifting it up to his chest as he thrusts his hips forward, causing all of the blood in Armie's body to quickly travel south.

_You're the top, you're the finest Haider suits,_  
_You're the top, really glad you're over tracksuits._

He interrupts his song, stopping dead and shrugging his shoulders as he says, "Yeah, okay. Suits and tracksuits. That one was kind of a cheat, but seriously, dude, let's not repeat that fashion faux pas, okay? I'd much rather see you in one of Haider's suits. So, how about..."

_You're the top, I hear peaches are your favorite fruits?_

Armie cheers and claps. "Yeah, baby."

Tim smiles as he resumes his routine. He changes up his moves, but they're still fucking sexy. He throws in an Elio shoulder role for fun as he winks at Armie. Of course he's always known Timmy's a great dancer, but Jesus... 

_You're the top, you're a lit Cudi song,_  
_You're the top, you look hot in a sarong,_

Armie's face is starting to ache from the huge grin he can't seem to stop. Tim strips off his sweater, twirling it over his head as he continues his sexy dance and Armie is now torn between amusement and arousal. 

_You're top-shelf weed, you're the finest wine._  
_I've got a thing for your ass and now it's all mine._

He flings his sweater across the room and starts working his t-shirt up over his head continuing his song, holding the shirt in front of his face.

_You're the top, you're a fat juicy steak,_  
_You're the top, you're the best carrot cake._

He pulls the shirt off and strikes a runway pose, hand on his hip and staring directly at Armie...totally blue steeling it.

 _You're a Virgil Abloh or a Louis Vuitton,_  
_You're an Alexander McQueen or an Yves Saint Laurent._

Armie can't get enough. "Food _and_ fashion? Fuck, T., you really _do_ love me." 

Tim smirks, dropping the shirt and moving to stand in front of Armie, pushing his legs apart as he steps in close. 

_You're the top, you're a hit Broadway show,_  
_You're the top, I'm really glad you're my beau._

"And that's b-e-a-u not b-o-w. No knots involved...at least not at this point." He winks at Armie, and Armie suddenly has to readjust himself in his pants. 

He raises his eyebrows in surprise as Tim turns his back to him, waggling his ass in a rhythmic dance move. Armie is only too happy to take that as an invitation to touch, which Tim allows briefly, grinning at Armie over his shoulder before turning back to face him. He pushes Armie's legs back together, straddling him as he kneels on the couch, but still keeping a bit of distance. 

His hands reach for the bottom of Armie's shirt, tugging it slowly out of his pants as he continues his song.

_You're a sexy risk taker, they should have put you on that cover,_

He pulls Armie's shirt up and Armie quickly raises his arms to help. Once it's off, Tim throws it over his shoulder. He scoots in tighter now, thrusting his hips forward and running his hands over Armie's bare chest. He's wearing a look of pure seduction as he leans in and whisper/sings directly into Armie's ear. 

_You're our sensual Italian summer, you're my Oliver, you're my lover._

He gusts a breath into Armie's ear, causing a shiver that runs through his whole body. He licks Armie's earlobe and sucks it into his mouth, biting down gently before releasing it.

 _Fuck..._ He's not sure how much longer he can hold out before picking Tim up and dragging him off to the bedroom.

Tim, clearly aware of the effect he is having, smirks as he backs off a bit, sitting on Armie's lap and moving his hands to cup Armie's face.

_You're the top, you're New York City, you're home,_  
_You're the top, you're Crema, and Bergamo, and Rome._

"I wanted to throw a line in there about us both getting dome, but couldn't make it work." 

Armie chuckles at that, moving his hands that have been resting on Tim's waist to rub up and down Tim's back, pulling him in closer. 

_You're the sound of waves crashing on the rocks,_  
_I can't believe you sent me your fuckin' dirty socks._

Before Armie can react to that, Tim leans down, kissing him roughly, his tongue demanding entrance, which Armie is more than happy to grant. He feels Tim's hand cup him through his pants as he sings his final verse. 

_I've tried to be a patient dude, but I'm so fucking ready to have you nude._  
_'Cause baby, if I'm gonna bottom,_  
_You're my top!_

He strikes a pose, with his arms up in the air and a huge smile on his face. Armie whoops loudly, clapping, and fist pumping. "Yeah! Fucking hell, man, that was amazing. Yet another hidden talent of Timothée Chalamet, ladies and gentlemen. I'd give you a standing ovation, babe, but there's no way I'm letting you move...unless it's closer."

Tim smiles, clearly pleased with Armie's response. He bows his head in acknowledgement, looking unexpectedly shy and embarrassed. "It was fun writing it and I wanted to say, 'I love you,' in my own unique way." 

Armie reaches out and cups Tim's jaw, leaning in for a quick kiss. "It was the best, T., honestly. Thank you so much." 

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. And now, before we head to the bedroom, I'm going to make a suggestion and I hope you're okay with it."

"I'm sure I will be. What is it?"

"I suggest that we save the actual bottoming and topping for tomorrow. We've both had long days and I really want that first time to be the best it can possibly be for both of us. We have all day tomorrow."

"I'm totally okay with that. In fact, I agree 100%."

"That doesn't mean I'm not up for other things though, if you are."

Armie grins. "I'm very much up for other things. You _did_ say you wanted me nude."

"I did indeed. So why are we still sitting here?" 

"Good question." Armie stands abruptly, causing Tim to slide to the floor.

"Hey, c'est quoi ce bordel?"

Armie reaches out a hand to pull him up. "Come on, Frenchie. I thought you couldn't wait to have me nude?"

Tim gets an offended look on his face as he allows Armie to pull him up off the floor. "Frenchie? Seriously? Certaines personnes sont juste putain grossier."

"What are you saying about me?"

Tim gives him a teasing grin. "I thought you liked it when I speak French."

"Only when you say sexy shit. Otherwise, not so much."

"Peut-être que je vais commencer à t'appeler Island Boy, hein?"

"Did you just call me Island Boy?"

Tim smirks. "Hey, if the Bermuda shorts fit..."

"Ha-ha. Okay, I deserved that. I'm sorry. No more insults about you being French. Now can we please move to the bedroom?"

Tim follows him, but he's not quite finished with the discussion. "You know, Armand is a classic French name. Maybe you're more French than you know." 

He's about to open his mouth to say, "God, I hope not," but thinks better of it. They're finally heading to the bedroom after all. Instead he responds with a, "Maybe," and pats himself on the back for his discretion.

Tim, knowing him well enough to easily pick up on his restraint, shakes his head and laughs as he runs ahead. "Let's go, mon amour, tout suite." 

 

****

*****

Armie feels Tim's body shiver as he slowly kisses across Tim's nose, eyes, and forehead. Having quickly shed their remaining clothes, they are now comfortable settled side by side in Tim's bed, bodies pressed tightly together from head to toe. Given that his last attempt to bring Tim pleasure was unexpectedly cut short, he's determined to make this time as sensual and satisfying for him as possible.

He reaches up and tangles the fingers of his right hand in Tim's hair, stroking and massaging through it as he moves his head higher to breathe in the scent of Tim's shampoo, burying his face in the comforting softness. He smiles happily, his voice muffled as he speaks into Tim's hair. "Fair warning that my plan for the rest of this week is to get to know every inch of your body in the most intimate way possible, starting with these magnificent curls." With both hands now he roughly fists handfuls of hair, tugging just hard enough for Tim to suck in a breath before he loosens his grip, leaning down to drop a gentle kiss to the top his head. 

Tim pulls back enough to smile up at him, one curl falling over his eye and Armie can't resist it. He reaches out, playing with it briefly before winding it around his finger. "This curl ranks right up there with those two freckles on your upper lip. I have wet dreams featuring this curl...imagining it casually brushing over my face, setting me on fire as you have your way with me."

A surprised but pleased grin spreads across Tim's face. "Nice." He laughs as he drops his chin and rubs his unruly mop of hair against Armie's face, before gently butting his head into him.

Armie chuckles in return, bracketing Tim's face to lift it back up so that he can bring their lips together. He controls the kiss, keeping it slow and sensual, resisting Tim's attempts to deepen it. Tim growls in frustration as Armie pulls back.

Armie grins at him. "Easy, love. We'll get there." He drops another quick kiss before moving on to Tim's neck. "I've got a bit more exploration to do."

"Fine." He tips his head back, allowing Armie better access and when Armie begins sucking on a particularly sensitive spot, he's rewarded with a moan and complete acquiescence. "Mmm...okay...well, I guess maybe I can be patient a _bit_ longer." 

Armie smirks. "That's the spirit, T. I promise I'll make it worth your while." He kisses his way down to the place where neck and shoulder come together. He stops and pulls back, staring. "Ah, now this spot right here..." He reaches out, gently caressing the little divot just above Tim's collarbone. "With the freckle in just the right place." He leans down and kisses it before trailing his tongue over it. "I definitely plan on revisiting this little bit of heaven on a regular basis."

Tim giggles. "Wow, that's like hot and super sappy all at the same time."

"Shut up. I'm being serious here. Now..." He pushes Tim onto his back and leans over him. "...if you're finished being a smartass, I'll continue."

Tim brings a hand to his lips and makes a locking motion as he grins up at Armie.

"Oh no, I'm all for you making noise. In fact, getting familiar with all of the different noises you make in bed is another one of my goals." 

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmm." He smirks and kisses Tim quickly. "Now, where was I? Ah, yes." He moves lower, his mouth positioned directly above Tim's left nipple. "Right here I think." He puffs out soft breaths of air, skimming the surface of the nipple several times, entranced as he watches it contract and stiffen in response, while eliciting a soft _'Fuck'_ from Tim. He follows that by swiping his tongue back and forth across it before sucking it into his mouth, causing Tim to moan and writhe under him. He quickly tends to the other one before making his way down to Tim's waist.

"Now this..." He plants a few gentle kisses just above Tim's hipbone. "...this is an old favorite spot." He brackets Tim's waist with his hands, thrilled to feel bare skin this time. "This is one place I've always been allowed to touch, even in the most public places." He thinks of all of the times over the last few years his hands have been on Tim's waist, pulling him close for red carpet pictures or guiding him one direction or another, or just casually touching in the midst of a conversation. "I fucking love how my hands fit so perfectly here. It's like your waist and my hands were made to go together." 

He pulls back and looks up at Tim's face. "T.?"

"Hmm?" 

"Can I mark you here?" He runs his hand over a spot on Tim's belly, just above and inside Tim's hipbone. 

Tim smiles softly, sucking his bottom lip between his teeth as he nods. "Yes, please." It's almost a whisper, and the hark back to filming makes his heart skip a beat. Tim reaches out to stroke Armie's face gently before moving his hand to the back of his head, pushing Armie's face back down towards his skin. 

Armie grins. "Yeah, okay. I got it." He leans down to kiss gently before applying more pressure, sucking hard and then softly biting over the same spot.

Tim gasps and winces slightly. "Fuck...yes."

When he thinks he's accomplished his goal, Armie pulls back to view his handiwork, pleased to see a nice red bruise beginning to form. The thought of Tim bearing his mark goes straight to his groin.

Though he would love to continue this exploration, he'll save it for another time. Right now, he wants to take care of Tim, and though this intimate investigation of Tim's body is more than pleasurable, he can't stop thinking about getting his mouth on him. He'd joked on _Conan_ that he'd sucked a dick on film, and how ironic that it was Tim's, but there's a fucking big difference between that and this reality. 

He slowly trails kisses across Tim's stomach, pausing to dip his tongue into his navel, which causes a giggle and an immediate stomach contraction. 

"Ah, another ticklish spot. Duly noted."

"Fuck you."

The moment quickly transform as Armie reaches a hand down between Tim's legs. He gently pushes on one and then the other, a silent request for Tim to open for him, and Tim instantly complies. Armie, now given access and permission, begins teasing with his hand as he kisses his way lower. He can feel Tim's body tense in expectation as his breathing becomes more erratic.

"It's okay." He can't help but smile as he plants a first kiss on Tim's cock, grabbing hold of his waist, his safe place, in an attempt to ground them both. "I've got you."

He feels Tim relax as his hand lands on Armie's shoulder, kneading gently. Armie begins using the tip of his tongue to tease and his hand to stroke and massage. When he feels that Tim is ready for more, he takes him in as deep as possible, naively unprepared for Tim's instinctual reaction to buck up his hips in response, nearly choking him.

He pulls off, coughing and sputtering as Tim frantically reaches down, attempting to apologize. "Fuck, Armie. Sorry. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine." He laughs at his clumsy inexperience. "My fault. I'm still new to this, but I'll learn. I'll know to watch out for that very natural reaction next time. Let's try this again."

He takes it slower now, and things go much better. It feels amazing to have his mouth on Tim, and just as he's starting to get a rhythm going, he feels Tim's hand frantically tugging on his hair. "Armie...stop." 

Armie pulls back immediately, worried that he's screwed this up. "What? Is it not good?"

Tim smirks. When he speaks, it comes out in a breathless exhale. "Fuck, man, no, it's _too_ good. It's fucking amazing, but I don't want to come yet. I'd like for us to try to come together." He makes a move to sit up and Armie moves out of his way.

Relieved, he smiles as he asks, "Okay, what did you have in mind?"

"Lay on your back." He quickly obeys, and Tim grabs the lube before straddling him, sitting lower this time, on his thighs. "I was thinking, maybe we could try some frot?" 

Though he and Liz had sometimes enjoyed het versions of it, this would be a new experience. "Fuck, yeah...okay. Have you ever...?"

Tim shakes his head. "Not like this." He grins. "Standing, fully clothed on a dance floor. A bit different."

Tim slicks them both before tossing the lube aside. Leaning forward, he rests his weight on one hand, experimentally rocking his hips so that their cocks rub together. 

Armie smiles as he throws his head back in pleasure. "Fucking hell." This is unlike anything he's ever felt before. It's so intimate and erotic and to share it with Tim is the absolute best part. 

"Fuck, yeah" Tim's voice is ragged with arousal as he grins down at Armie. After several slow strokes, Tim speeds up the motion. 

"Jesus, Tim, this is..." He has no words and all he wants to do right now is feel. Tim brings his hand into the mix, pulling them tighter together. He continues the hip thrusts and moves his hand in opposition. _Fuck._ The extra stimulation immediately ramps up Armie's arousal and he already feels himself teetering on the edge. Tim, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, nods at him to indicate that he's close too.

"Get that massive hand of yours in here and help me out." It's more panted than spoken. When Armie looks up, he sees that Tim's eyes are closed and his tongue is working over his lips.

Armie is more than happy to comply, wrapping his own hand around Tim's and the combination proves to be the tipping point for both of them.

Tim comes first, crying out as his body shudders through his orgasm. The warmth hitting Armie's stomach is all it takes to catapult him over the edge right behind.

"Jesus Fucking Christ." He feels Tim roll off, collapsing on his back beside him. 

It takes several minutes for Armie to recover enough to speak, but as soon as he's able, he declares happily, "Fuck, T., we are _definitely_ doing that again."

Tim laughs, also still breathless as he responds. "No argument from me, man. I'd say that absolutely exceeded expectations." 

When they've recovered enough to move, they each take a bathroom to pee and clean up. Armie is already back in bed when Tim walks back into the room, carrying a couple bottles of water in one hand. His other hand is hidden behind his back and he has a huge grin on his face.

Armie grins back. "What are you doing?"

Tim walks over to the bed and tosses one of the bottles to Armie before pulling his other hand out to reveal a plate containing a large slice of cold lasagna and two forks.

Armie laughs happily. "Dude, you must have been reading my mind."

Tim hands him the plate as he climbs back into bed. They each grab a fork and dig in. "I hate to break it to you, Hammer, but you're not that hard to read," Tim says around a mouthful of lasagna. "Food is pretty much _always_ on your mind. Besides, hot sex works up an appetite."

He glares at Tim before shrugging his shoulders. "There's certainly more than one insult in there, but given the mention of hot sex, I'm good with ignoring the rest."

Tim smirks at him. 

They make short work of the lasagna and when the plate is empty, Armie sets it on the nightstand and turns out the light.

He lies on his back, opening his arms and Tim settles with his head on Armie's shoulder. They lay quietly for a few minutes before he feels Tim's soft kiss on his skin. "Je t'aime, Armand."

His eyes unexpectedly fill as he leans down and gently kisses the top of Tim's head. "Je t'aime davantage, Timothée." He adds the comparative _more,_ grateful now that he took the time to learn it, and he gives the name his best attempt at the proper French pronunciation. 

He's rewarded by Tim raising his head, looking up with a huge smile on his face. "See, you're a born Frenchman."

Armie laughs as he kisses Tim one more time. "Yeah, I guess I am."

They settle once more, getting comfortable and latching on tightly to each other as sleep beckons. His last thought before he drifts off is that this exact moment is the perfect definition of bliss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations of Tim's French:
> 
>  _C'est quoi ce bordel?_ \- What the fuck?
> 
>  _Certaines personnes sont juste putain grossier_ \- Some people are just fucking rude.
> 
>  _Peut-être que je vais commencer à t'appeler Island Boy, hein?_ \- Maybe I'll start calling you Island Boy, huh?


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff and more fluff...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end is in sight! This ended up being over 5K words, so I decided to split it into two chapters. The good news with that is it means that the next chapter is already mostly written! Lots of fluff from here on out, but what else could I do for these two guys?
> 
> A big thank you to everyone who is still reading. You are appreciated!
> 
> And speaking of being appreciated, Kendylgirl most definitely is! She is thorough, flexible, and such a joy to interact with. Huge thanks to her once again.

Tim's mind is foggy, the last remnants of a dream dissolving as consciousness takes over. He opens one eye, squinting, trying to get his bearings. It's light enough to make out the familiar surroundings of his bedroom, and as he wakes more fully, he remembers last night and that he is not alone. A smile spreads over his face as he turns his head to see that Armie is still sleeping peacefully beside him. Good. He'd had a Plan B, but he's glad that he can go with his initial one. Glancing at the bedside clock, he notes that it's just after eight. He allows himself a moment to wake up fully, enjoying the view and relishing the newness of waking up with the person he loves beside him.

He's sorely tempted to chuck his plan and wake Armie with kisses that will undoubtedly lead to much more, but they have all day for that and he's put a lot of thought and effort into making this morning special. Reluctantly he rolls out of bed. Moving quietly, he opens the drawer of the nightstand and grabs the note he has already written, reading through it once more to be sure it still works. 

_Good morning, mon amour! Don't you dare move! I mean, obviously, go to the bathroom if you want, but stay in the bedroom. I'll be back very soon with a surprise and I expect to find you in my bed, where you belong. Clothing is optional, but definitely discouraged. T~_

He leaves the note on his pillow for Armie to see if he wakes before Tim returns. Grabbing the first clothes he finds, he walks quietly to the bedroom door, pulling it closed, but not latched, behind him. In the bathroom, he pulls on his sweatpants, wincing as his hand grazes a sore spot just above his right hipbone. A smile spreads across his face as he remembers why it's tender. He examines the spot closely before reaching down to touch it. Fuck, being marked by Armie is a kink he didn't know he had, but given how his cock twitches as he looks at it, it's clear that it's a thing for him. He decides that he wants to leave a similar mark on Armie, and he knows exactly where it will be. 

He starts the coffee first before organizing the rest. He'd done as much prep as he could ahead of time, including cooking the bacon, so all he has to do is warm that and the rest of it comes together fairly quickly. He waits to open the champagne until he's nearly ready. Double and triple checking that he has everything, he pulls the final item out of a drawer in the fridge where it had been stashed so that Armie wouldn't accidently see it.

His heart is beating fast as he picks up the tray and makes his way to the bedroom. Angling his hip into the door, he pushes it open. He sees that Armie is awake, sitting up in bed, phone in hand. He smiles broadly as Tim moves into the room with his tray.

"Hey. What's all this?" he asks as he sets his phone on the nightstand. 

Tim grins as he walks around to Armie's side of the bed, setting the tray down carefully so that the legs are straddling Armie's legs. "Happy first morning together." He leans down to drop a couple of quick kisses to Armie's lips before pulling back and proudly gesturing at the contents of the tray, mentally checking once more that he hasn't forgotten anything. There's coffee, scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, jam, fresh strawberries, and a mimosa. The final touch is a single red rose laid across it all.

"Wow, T., I don't know what to say. This is amazing - thank you." He reaches up and grabs at Tim's shirt, pulling him in for another kiss.

"Well, I thought serving breakfast in bed to the man I love might be a good way to start the day." He can't seem to keep the grin off his face and Armie smiles back warmly.

"You're seriously spoiling me. First that to-die-for lasagna and now this? Like I said on _Ellen,_ you have all kinds of skills people don't know about."

Tim laughs as he shakes his head. "I still can't fucking believe you said that."

Armie laughs too. "At the time, it was perfectly innocent." He stops, sobering as though he's just realized that Tim doesn't have any food. "Wait, where's yours?"

"I'll go get it and be right back. Don't wait for me...it'll get cold." He dashes out, returning first with his coffee and mimosa, and a second time with his plate and silverware. He climbs into bed, smiling as he sees that Armie has, indeed, already started to eat.

"I took a picture first. I want to be able to look at it when I'm not with you and remember how special this was. Jesus, you even have the fancy tray and everything. And the rose is such a perfect touch. You're incredible."

Tim's heart soars with the praise. Carefully balancing his own plate on his lap, he responds as he pops a strawberry into his mouth. "Hey, if you're gonna make the grand gesture, details are important. I had no idea you could actually buy these trays. Twenty bucks on Amazon! Can you believe it? And I was going to try fancier eggs, but I didn't want to screw them up." 

Armie's smile is warm. "Your eggs are perfect, T. So who knew that LaGuardia's legendary rapper, Lil Timmy Tim, would one day grow up to be not only an Academy Award winning actor and an adorable sex god, but also a secret gourmet chef?"

Tim chortles and shrugs a bit self-consciously, but Armie's words mean the world. He's thrilled that his efforts have been so appreciated. "Well, you've now experienced the totality of my culinary capabilities, so don't be disappointed when there's nothing more to come."

"Fair enough, so how about you let me serve you breakfast in bed tomorrow? I've got a tough act to follow here, but I'd like to if that's okay with you."

He smiles, pleased. "You know you don't have to do that."

"I know, but I'd really like to. I think I deserve a chance to spoil you in return. And speaking of that, I hope you haven't got anything planned for this evening, because I've got a surprise of my own."

Beyond them spending as much time as possible in bed, he hadn't actually thought much beyond this breakfast and that's what he tells Armie.

Armie's expression is hard to read, but he's clearly excited about whatever it is he has in mind. "Good. I'll provide a few more details later."

When they've both finished eating, Armie lifts the tray and sets it on the floor beside the bed. Turning back, he opens his arms and Tim happily moves into them. 

They share a few coffee flavored kisses before things start to heat up, and it's Tim who reluctantly slows it back down. "Armz, as much as I want to continue this right now, I really should clean up the kitchen first, and I want to take a shower before we go any further."

"Of course, but you're going to let _me_ clean all this up while you go enjoy a nice long shower."

"No, man, I'm the one that made the mess."

"Yeah, so that you could do all this for me. Please, let me do this for you?" Armie reaches out and cups Tim's cheek. "I'll even fix you another mimosa that you can take to the shower with you."

He can't help but laugh and he decides not to argue. "Fine." He leans in for a quick kiss. "Thank you. But I'll at least help you carry all this stuff back to the kitchen."

 

****

*****

Tim's pretty sure that most people would think it was weird how much they'd actually talked about this over the last couple of weeks, but he was glad that neither had shied away from it. They had each been so open and honest about their thoughts and concerns regarding other aspects of this new relationship that it made sense to approach talking about sex in the same way.

Early in their discussions on the subject, Tim had expressed his strong desire for no condoms. "This isn't just some casual relationship. This is you and me committing to each other. I want us to be as closely connected as is humanly possible, and condoms are a layer of separation. I totally get there are situations and relationships where they're absolutely necessary, but for us, they're not. This will be the first time for this version of sex for both of us, and we won't be sleeping around." He stops and smiles. "I mean, I guess I can only speak for myself, but I'm pretty sure you're on the same page there."

"Of course I am, and I'd like that too, but I have one stipulation and it's non-negotiable. We both get tested first and not just for HIV, but STDs too. I'm sure we're both fine, but it's just a smart and safe starting point."

Tim had readily agreed, and as expected, there'd been no surprises. 

He looks up at Armie now, allowing all of the love and trust he feels to show on his face. "Fuck, Armz, I'm so ready...please?"

They'd fallen back into bed after showers and breakfast clean up, and they've spent the last hour lazily teasing and revelling in being together like this. 

Tim had proudly shown off the mark Armie had left on him. "Fuck, man, this is a masterpiece. It's like being branded as yours, and it's a total turn-on. Would you let me do this to you? I have a very specific spot in mind."

Armie had laughed. "Fuck, yeah. Anywhere."

Tim had smiled and had leaned in to whisper, "Spread your legs for me."

"Fuck..." Armie had readily complied as Tim had moved down to be at eye level with Armie's inner thighs. 

"Right or left?" He'd reached out to caress them both.

"Your call, babe."

Tim had chosen 'right' and had managed to leave an impressive mark. 

From there, they had moved on to finger play, and the first time Armie had hit Tim's prostate had been a full-on religious experience. He'd had no idea what he'd been missing, and the fact that it was Armie who was responsible for such exquisite pleasure made it all the more special. 

He's snapped back to the present as Armie responds to his plea. "Okay, but maybe you should roll over and get up on your knees. I think it might be more comfortable for you."

He shakes his head vehemently as he reaches up to stroke Armie's cheek. "Uh-uh. No way. I'm not having my first time happen with my face buried in the fucking mattress. I want to see you. I want to watch." 

Armie smiles. "Yeah, okay. I'll take it nice and slow."

And he does. He clearly wants this to be the best it can be for both of them and he pushes in slowly and a bit at a time. Beyond the initial discomfort, it's felt fucking amazing and he urges Armie to let go and give them both the experience they have been waiting for. 

Having Armie fully inside him is by far the most intense thing he's ever experienced, and by the time Armie comes, Tim is completely lost in waves of pleasure and deep emotion. He's grateful for the lack of condom as the sensation of warmth from Armie's release inside him is mind-blowing. That, combined with Armie's stroking hand on him, quickly triggers his own release, and when he comes, he does so shouting Armie's name and feeling the most powerful connection to another person that he's ever felt in his life. 

 

****

*****

"So, my plans for this evening actually involve leaving your apartment. I hope you're okay with that."

They'd spent the rest of the afternoon soaking in Tim's whirlpool tub (which had helped to ease some of his lingering discomfort), snuggling on the couch while watching a bit of TV, and sucking each other off more than once. Tim had wanted Armie in him again, but Armie had been insistent that they save that for after their evening out.

They are currently half dressed, wrapped in each other's arms on top of the covers on Tim's bed. "Sure, but you mean, like someplace public where I have to behave?"

Armie laughs. "There'll be minimal public contact, but you may still have to mostly behave. I promise it'll be worth it."

Tim grins. He doesn't know what Armie has planned, but he trusts him. "Fine, but that just means when we get home, we have to make up for the lost time in bed and I want you inside me again."

"Fuck, yeah, I'm counting on that."

"So what am I supposed to wear?"

Armie kisses him before rolling off the bed. He goes to Tim's closet and starts rummaging through it. He smiles broadly as he comes across a pair of pants, holding them up for Tim to see. "Dude, you kept the leather pants!"

He feels his cheeks flush in embarrassment. "Yeah, I mean, after I got that text from you the night of the SAGs saying that I'd better be careful not to scorch the Red Carpet, I couldn't part with them."

"God, I wanted to say a lot more than that. Like telling you how totally fuckable you looked and about all of the things I wanted to do to you in those pants. And I may or may not have masturbated on more than one occasion with the image of you that night in my mind."

"Fuck..." 

"Will you wear them for me tonight so that I can fulfill a recurring fantasy I've had about slowly peeling them off of you before having my way with you?"

Tim laughs. "Well, who am I to deny a guy his fantasy?"

Armie turns back to the closet, clearly looking for something specific. "Did you keep everything you wore that night?" 

Tim moves to the closet and finds the shirt, grinning as he hands it to Armie. "Is this what you had in mind?"

Armie reaches out to grab it. "Yes! And the jacket?"

Tim has to dig a bit deeper, but emerges victorious.

Armie grins at him. "Oh, yeah. You know, I'd planned for tonight to be special for a number of reasons, but seeing you in _this_ outfit takes the evening to a whole new level. Now, it will not only be wonderfully romantic, but hot as fuck at the same time. I hope you still have the ring and bracelets? 

Tim can't help but laugh. "Jesus...okay. You really _do_ have a thing for this look. I don't remember exactly what bracelets I wore, but I'll come close."

Armie shakes his head and laughs too. "Fuck, T., you have every designer in the world fighting to get you into their clothes, and all I can think about is getting them off of you. These next few hours are going to be such exquisite torture and I'm going to love every minute of it."


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As this was originally part of the previous chapter, we are still in Tim's POV. This is the last time we will be in his head, so soak it up. One chapter to go!
> 
> And this chapter's award for 'above and beyond' goes to...Kendylgirl! Even when the world conspired against her, she still delivered a timely, and as always, spot-on beta. Thank you...I owe you...you are the best! ❤️

Tim had suggested to Armie that they dress separately so that Armie can take in the total look all at once, but the truth is, he'd decided to go commando, and he wanted that to be a surprise for later. 

He checks himself out in the full length mirror, hoping that the missing layer won't be noticeable. Turning around a couple of times and scrutinizing his appearance from every angle, he decided that he should be fine. It certainly won't be obvious to a casual observer, but given Armie's professed love for these pants, he has no doubt that Armie's eyes will be focused on the lower part of his anatomy even more than usual. Fuck it. Even if he figures it out right away, it will still be unexpected. 

When he emerges from his bedroom, he sees that Armie is already there and dressed. He's standing with his back to Tim, looking out over the New York skyline, clearly lost in thought. Tim clears his throat, and when Armie turns, Tim is literally stopped dead in his tracks. Armie is wearing a salmon pink V-neck sweater that Tim has never seen before, paired with a black shirt and black pants. It's an unusual color for Armie to wear and he looks fucking amazing. It's not as though he could ever forget how stunning Armie is, but at moments like this, the sight of him still takes Tim's breath away. 

"Fuck, you look absolutely edible." 

Armie laughs. "Jesus, T., the same can definitely be said about you."

He somehow manages to get his feet moving again and closes the distance between them. "That sweater is gorgeous and the color suits you perfectly. Brioni?" 

Armie nods. "I chose the color because I had a hunch you might like it."

"'Like' is a bit of an understatement." As Tim reaches him, he immediately runs his hands over the soft material covering Armie's chest. "Nice. Gotta be cashmere." 

Armie grins and waggles his eyebrows. " _And_ silk."

"Well this is definitely a new favorite and I may just need you to wear nothing _but_ this to bed at some point."

Armie wraps his arms around Tim, pulling him in for a quick kiss. "I think that can be arranged. Now, I need a runway walk from you so that I can get the full seductive fashion experience."

Tim laughs and obliges, exaggerating every move and striking the occasional sexy pose, including a smoldering look over his shoulder as he wiggles his ass at Armie. 

"Jesus, Tim, have I told you how glad I am that you kept this outfit?"

"I think you may have mentioned it once or twice. I knew you liked it, but I had no idea it would have quite this effect on you."

Before they head out the door, Armie lets him in on his surprise. "So, I'm using the same car service that I used when I was doing the play, and their drivers are all very discreet, but we'll still be in public, and I want to give you a chance to react to my surprise without having to restrain yourself." 

Tim grins. "So, you're saying that whatever it is that you have planned, you're expecting that I'll be so excited about it that I might do something...inappropriate?"

"I'm saying that I'm hoping you might be excited enough when you hear what it is that you'll have a hard time keeping your hands and lips to yourself, yeah." 

"Well, all righty, then." Tim rubs his hands together eagerly. "Lay it on me." He's come up with a couple of ideas of what Armie might have planned, one in particular that he would be thrilled with. "So, where are we going?"

Armie steps forward, wrapping his arms around Tim's waist, and Tim happily reciprocates. "So, in one of the many conversations we've had over the last few weeks, we talked about the last time we were together in New York."

Tim nods, excitement bubbling up inside him as he's pretty sure now he's going to get his perfect evening. 

Armie rolls his eyes, laughing. "You've figured it out, haven't you?"

Tim can't help bouncing on the balls of his feet as he laughs back. "I think so? I hope so. I mean, just fucking tell me...please?"

"Fine. So, I contacted Angelo, and we have a reservation at his restaurant for seven. Same deal as last time. We go in through the kitchen, and he'll take care of us. The only difference is that this time, it _is_ a real date, and we're going with your ending for the evening." 

"Yes!" He throws his arms around Armie's neck as he leaps up onto him, wrapping his legs tightly around his waist. 

"Whoa." Armie stumbles slightly, but fortunately reacts fast enough to grab his ass so that he doesn't fall back down again. 

They're both laughing as he peppers Armie's face with kisses. "And you called _me_ a romantic. Fuck, Armie, it's perfect. Thank you."

They share a long, deep kiss, and when they finally pull back, Armie chuckles. "So, clearly, telling you before we were in the car was the right decision."

Tim laughs as he makes a move to get back down, but Armie isn't letting him go. Instead, he thrusts his hips forward, allowing Tim to feel how turned on he is. He quirks an eyebrow at Armie. "Seriously? Now?"

Armie smirks. "Well, I already told you what this outfit does to me, but having handfuls of your leather-clad ass is just about enough to make me cancel our plans and drag you back to the bedroom. And fuck, T., are you free-balling?"

 _Shit!_ At that, Tim shoves himself away, moving completely out of Armie's reach. He grins as he deliberately ignores the question. "No way are we _not_ going. You promised me a real date, and that's what we're going to have. And I promise _you_ that you'll still get to peel these off of me later."

Armie chuckles. "I'm going to let you get away with side-stepping my question about what you may or may not be wearing under that leather because that just ups the hotness level and gives me one more thing to look forward to later." 

At that moment, Armie's phone buzzes. He looks at it and gestures towards the door. "Our carriage awaits. Shall we?"

Tim smiles as he grabs Armie's hand and leads him out the door. 

 

****

*****

"Angelo." Tim reaches out to shake his hand. "Hey, man, it's really great to see you again."

"Gentlemen, welcome. It's my honor to host you once more. Timothée, I've had several customers over the last few months mention that the reason they came here is because they'd heard you praising my place in an interview, so I thank you for that."

"Hey, that's great, and I meant every word. Seriously, thank _you!_ We had such a wonderful evening the last time we were here. The food was amazing and you took excellent care of us. Glad I could spread the word."

Armie nods in agreement. "And the fact that you took such good care of us is why we're back again tonight."

Angelo smiles as he turns to lead the way into the dining area. "Well, I hope you'll find this evening equally enjoyable." He quietly directs them to the same table they'd had the last time. It's in a bit of an alcove, and though there are two other tables nearby, it's hidden from most of the restaurant by a tall partition. "No one will be seated at those tables this evening, so you shouldn't be disturbed." 

Armie responds with a smile. "We really appreciate this, Angelo. Thanks so much for accommodating us again." 

"It's truly my pleasure." He motions for them to sit and Tim unconsciously winces as his ass makes contact with the lightly padded chair. A blink-and-you'll-miss-it smirk on Armie's face let's him know it hasn't gone unnoticed as they both turn their attention back to their host. 

"My head waiter, Ben, who took care of you the last time, will be with you shortly. May I start you off with a bottle of our finest Prosecco? On the house, of course."

Tim accepts for them. "That sounds perfect. Thank you."

"Excellent. I'll get it out to you immediately. Enjoy your evening, gentlemen."

Once Angelo is out of earshot, Armie turns to him and grins. "You okay, babe? Are you going to be able to sit in that chair for a couple of hours?"

"I'm fine. More than fine, actually." He smiles. "I like it.'

"Yeah?"

"Mmm. Between that and the nice mark you left on me, I've got these tangible reminders that we're finally an 'us.' And, seriously, Armz, tonight...thank you. It means so much that you went to all the effort to organize this. It couldn't be more perfect and god, I love you _so_ much."

"Aw, Tim, I love you so much too." Armie starts to reach for his hand, but at that moment, Ben shows up with their bottle. 

"Good evening. Nice to see you gentlemen back again." They chat with him as he goes through the whole bottle-opening ritual, pouring a small taste in a glass and offering it to Tim, who nods his approval. Ben fills their glasses before placing the bottle in an ice bucket beside the table. "Enjoy. I'll be back shortly to take your orders."

Armie waits for them to be alone again before raising his glass. "To us. Happy first official date, my sweet T." 

Tim clinks his glass with Armie's, smiling. "And happy one day anniversary, mon coeur." 

Armie smiles. "You know, this really should be a day we celebrate every year. Most people celebrate the day of their first date, right?"

"Of course. And there's another reason to always celebrate this day."

"And what's that?"

He leans forward and whispers, "It's also the day we shared our first real fuck."

Armie nearly chokes on his Prosecco as he laughs. "Well, that's _definitely_ something to celebrate."

The evening unfolds much as the last time they were here. The food and drink are top notch and they are left alone as much as possible while still receiving excellent service.

Tim chuckles when he realizes that Ben has started to clear his throat or cough before approaching their table. He nods his head in the direction of the retreating waiter. "Armz, he knows."

Armie quickly turns and watches as Ben disappear around the corner. "You think?"

"Yeah, I mean, he totally fucking knows. Haven't you noticed the way he's making his presence known way before he gets close, giving us time to pull back from each other?"

"Seriously? We haven't been obvious, have we?"

Tim just shakes his head and smiles. "Dude, our legs are plastered together under the table. He's caught us more than once pulling our hands away from each other and I think it's fair to say that the more of this second bottle of Prosecco we drink, the more obvious our need to tear each other's clothes off and rut right here on the floor is. Not to mention the fact that we almost literally have hearts in our eyes when we look at each other."

"Wow. Okay. I guess I can't argue with any of that. So, are you concerned about it?"

"Nah. He seems cool and besides, there's no way he'd jeopardize his job just to out a couple of barely famous people."

"Babe, you're an Academy Award winning actor. You're more than barely famous. Do you think we should say something to him? Ask him to keep quiet?"

"I don't think so. Not unless we can do it in a very casual way? I mean, Angelo clearly trusts him, and I don't want him to feel uncomfortable." Tim reaches for Armie's hand. "But at this point, I guess what he sees, he sees." He brings Armie's hand up to his lips and drops a lingering kiss on the back of it. 

They split a mouthwatering tiramisu for dessert, and once Armie's settled their tab, they both stand and shake Ben's hand. It's Armie who speaks. 

"Ben, thanks, man. Another great evening. We really appreciate your excellent service...and your discretion."

Ben nods and smiles at them. "It's absolutely my pleasure, gentlemen...on both counts. I'll let Angelo know you're ready to go, and he'll escort you out. I hope we see you both again soon."

 

****

*****

They somehow manage to keep their hands off of each other all the way home, mostly because Armie uses their time in the car to FaceTime with his kids to say goodnight. It was meant to be a short call, but Armie's mom had sent each of them a new Playmobil playset; a horse show set for Harper and a dinosaur explorer set for Ford, and the entire car ride is spent with the kids excitedly showing off their new treasures. Tim is touched that they seem just as excited to show him as they are to show their dad.

It's no surprise, though, that once his apartment door clicks shut behind them, Armie is on him, backing him up against the wall. Tim has long suspected that their size difference might be a kink for him, and this moment totally confirms it. Having Armie looming over him with a look of pure lust on his face has made him instantly hard. Their forced restraint this evening has only heightened their need and desire for each other.

It's already clear that tonight's sex will be very different from that of earlier today. Their daytime lovemaking had been slow and sensual, more about giving and sharing a beautiful experience, but there's a much different intensity and urgency tonight, as though each is desperate to claim and own the other. It feels very primal, and Tim is totally there for it. 

He shivers in anticipation as Armie presses in closer, his ragged breath ghosting across Tim's face as he whispers, "Shall I tell you all of the things I want to do to you?" 

Tim shakes his head. "Save that for when we're apart. Right now I need you to show me." He fists a handful of Armie's hair, tugging hard, pulling him into a desperate kiss.

Armie literally growls as he dives into Tim's mouth. He thrusts his hands under Tim's shirt before moving them down to knead his ass. The feel of the leather being rubbed against his bare skin is delicious and he moans into Armie's mouth as their bruising kiss continues. When he's finally forced to pull back to breathe, he gasps for air, heart pounding so hard it feels as though it's beating out of his chest.

They rest their foreheads together, allowing their breathing to slow. When Tim is finally able to speak, he drops a quick kiss to Armie's neck as he shoves him back. "Bedroom." Armie smirks as Tim laces their fingers together and leads the way.

Armie slows things down by gently wrapping Tim in his arms, and they share a kiss that is more relaxed. With their arms still around each other, Armie pulls back and asks, "Are you okay with me taking the lead tonight? I mean, you can initiate anything you want and obviously respond however you want. I'm not talking about a dom/sub thing, I just want to make love to you. We won't do anything we haven't already done, and my only goal is to bring you as much pleasure as I can. If you're uncomfortable with anything, just say so and I'll stop immediately, okay?"

Tim grins as he reaches out to cup Armie's cheek in his hand. "I'm all yours, my love."

Smiling warmly, Armie nods as he lets go of him and steps back. "I promise I'll take good care of you. But first," he says as he runs a hand down Tim's side to rest on his hip, "will you allow me a little self-indulgent leather pants fantasy play?"

Arousal courses through him with almost knee-buckling strength. "God, yes...please."

"Okay, I need you take your boots and socks off and stand right there for me."

Tim complies and watches as Armie gets undressed. He circles around Tim a couple of times, like a hunter stalking his prey, eyeing him hungrily. The fact that Armie is leering at him, completely naked, while he is still fully dressed is such a fucking turn-on. 

"Jesus, Tim, don't _ever_ get rid of this outfit."

Tim smirks. "Are you kidding? If it does this to you, I might just have to wear it every day."

Armie stops in front of him, and Tim makes a concerted effort to keep his hands to himself. Their eyes lock in an 'eye-fuck' moment before Armie reaches up to remove Tim's jacket, which he carefully drapes over the back of a nearby chair. Next, he slowly unbuttons the shirt, teasing it back just far enough to drop a few kisses to Tim's neck, before grabbing the shirt at the shoulders and shoving it down his arms, effectively trapping them. He leans in, taking first one nipple into his mouth and then the other. 

Tim sucks in a breath before gusting out a low moan. "Fuck." When he can't take the tease any longer, he pulls back far enough to impatiently wrestle his arms out of the sleeves of his shirt, tossing it in the general direction of the chair before leaning in to claim Armie's mouth. 

The kiss goes on for some time before Armie eventually breaks it, trailing his fingers across Tim's chest and side as he makes his way around behind him. Stepping in close, he wraps Tim in his arms, trailing kisses down his neck and pressing his hard cock against Tim's ass. Tim lets out a soft moan as his head fall back against Armie's chest. Frantically reaching behind him, he makes a grab at Armie's ass, attempting to pull him in tighter. 

He hears a soft, "Mmm..." against his ear before Armie pants out, "Jesus, T., I wish there was a way to fuck you while you're still wearing these." He pauses, adding, "I suppose I could always get out some scissors."

Tim makes to jerk away. "Don't you fucking dare."

Armie holds on to him and chuckles. "Nah, I wouldn't want to ruin perfection, but it looks like I may have a dry-cleaning bill to pay. I've gotten the leather back here a bit...moist."

It's Tim's turn to chuckle. Yeah, well, there's matching 'moisture' on the front."

Armie leans down and nuzzles his neck. "There's an easy way to fix both of those issues." He moves his hands from Tim's chest down to pop the snap open and unzip the zipper, reaching in for a quick stroke before pushing the pants down just low enough to rest on Tim's hipbones, freeing his erection. He tucks back into Tim's ass, and the feel of Armie's hardness rubbing against his ass crack immediately short-circuits his brain; his entire focus now on his physical need for Armie. 

As he's about to beg Armie to take him right there, Armie steps back and moves around in front of him again, smiling as he looks down. "Fuck, if you aren't a vision." His hand grazes across Tim's hard cock as they share another intense kiss before Armie pulls back again. "We will _definitely_ revisit this another night, but I made a promise that I'm very much looking forward to keeping." 

Placing his hand in the middle of Tim's chest, he shoves him back until his knees hit the bed, causing him to fall back onto it. Armie grins, taking his time as he slowly peels the pants down Tim's legs before finally discarding them onto the floor near the chair.

Armie quickly follows him onto the bed, and true to his word, he proceeds to take Tim apart, piece by piece, slowly and methodically, worshiping every inch of Tim's body with his own, bringing him to the edge and back so many times, he loses count.

By the time he finally comes with Armie inside him, every nerve ending in his body is electrified and he shudders through the most intense orgasm he's ever had. He's barely aware of Armie collapsing on top of him following his own release. Tim's entire world is white noise and he has no idea how long he lies there before he manages to work his way up from the blissed-out fog he is in. The first thing he's aware of is that tears are streaming down his face, and Armie is pulling back, a look of alarm on his face.

"Tim, Jesus, are you okay? Did I hurt you?" He looks devastated. "Fuck, I'm so sorry. I love you so much. I wanted this to be so special." 

Struggling to speak, he shakes his head vehemently. "No, Armie. Jesus, no, you didn't hurt me. That was...." He pauses in frustration because he has no idea how to describe what he's feeling. How do you begin to explain to someone that the person you have always been is no more? That the essence of who you are has exploded into a thousand tiny pieces and been put back together in a whole new way? "I'm going to need time and a clearer head to find the words, but I promise, I'm fine. Fuck, I'm _so_ much better than fine." 

He wraps his arms around Armie, leaning up to trail kisses across Armie's face as he tries to at least convey the obvious. "That was the most...intense and amazing sex I've ever had and I guess my mind and body are on overload. The tears are just a release, I think." He manages a smile. "No one's ever made love to me like that."

The tenseness seems to leave Armie's body, and he offers a small smile as he reaches out to wipe the tears from Tim's cheeks, before leaning down to kiss Tim's eyes, cheeks, lips. "So, these are good tears, then?"

Tim smiles and nods. "Yeah. These are definitely good tears. They're 'you make me happier than I've ever been in my life' tears. And 'you complete me in ways I never thought possible' tears. This whole evening has been so perfect, and God, Armie, I love you so, so much."

Armie's expression transforms, and Tim sees his eyes fill. His voice shakes as he says, "Well, that's good, because I plan to spend the rest of my life doing whatever I can to make you happy and to show you every day how much I love you."

He reaches out to cup Armie's cheek. "And I plan to do the same...starting tomorrow. It will be _my_ turn to make love to you." He stifles an unexpected yawn and is suddenly finding it hard to keep his eyes open.

"I'd like that very much." Armie leans down to kiss him tenderly. "Now it's time to sleep, my sweet T. Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back."

Tim grins as he feels Armie get out of bed. He must drift off, because the next thing he's aware of is a soothing warmth on his skin as Armie runs a damp cloth over him, cleaning off the stickiness. 

Tossing the cloth aside, Armie tucks himself in close behind Tim, dropping a kiss to his shoulder and wrapping an arm tightly around him. "Sweet dreams, my love."

Sleep is tugging hard now, but he manages a smile and a slurred, "Bonne nuit, mon amour." The last thought in his mind before sleep overtakes is Armie's 'the rest of my life' comment. For the first time, Tim allows himself to picture them growing old together...happily married for eons, and still every bit as in love with each other as they are in this moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Here](https://modesens.com/product/BRIONI-V-neck-sweater-2278825/?utm_expid=92191193-) is the sweater Armie is wearing. I cheated a bit, making it cashmere and silk, but several of Brioni's sweaters are made from those materials and I wanted it to be super soft. :)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, for anyone still hanging in there with this story...thank you! My humblest apologies for taking so long with an update. Between a busy life and very frustrating writer's block, I just couldn't seem to get anything written. Your patience and support is so very much appreciated.
> 
> Next, I have once again split this chapter in two. In this case, it's mostly because I really wanted to get something posted! But the good news is...I have already written a good portion of the absolute last chapter. Hopefully that update will happen sometime before hell freezes over. :)
> 
> And finally, I honestly don't know what I'd do without the keen eye and unwavering support of KendylGirl. She is not only an incredibly talented writer, she is also a kind and generous individual who puts up with my frequent and rather random thoughts and ramblings. Thank you! ❤️

"Fuck...he probably thinks you're cheating on Elizabeth."

A flash of pink catches Armie's eye as he turns to look at Tim, and he can't help smiling again. He had woken earlier to a sweater-clad Timmy nibbling his ear, and after a few lovely good morning kisses, he had pulled back and grinned at Tim.

"Not that I'm complaining, but I thought you wanted to see _me_ wearing nothing but this in bed." 

Tim's answering grin had been impish. "Oh, I absolutely do, but I got up to pee, and I was cold, and it's warm and soft, and it smells like you. And you're definitely leaving this here because no one is going to see you in this without me beside you. _And_ I may just want to sleep in it when you're not here...like...all the time."

Armie had smiled indulgently. "Fine. Just promise you won't use it the same way you used my socks."

Tim's response to that had been a spontaneous, joyous laugh, and Christ, how had he never realized how the sound of Tim's laughter could warm him all the way to his toes?

He takes a sip of his coffee as he asks, "Who and what are you talking about?" 

They are sitting up in bed; this time the breakfast tray is in front of Tim, and Armie is holding his plate. Tim has just taken his first bite of Armie's signature omelette, and he makes a 'fuck, this is amazing' face. "Ben, our waiter last night. He probably thinks we're having some sort of illicit affair. We should have clarified things for him."

Armie feels slightly disheartened, but not really surprised. Though they've talked about being okay with whatever people are going to think about their relationship, there's a big difference between talking about it and actually dealing with it. He doesn't doubt for a minute that Tim is sincere when he says he can handle the negative reactions that they are sure to get, but there is now one person in the world who has seen them interact as a couple, and he's already concerned about what that guy thinks about them. Clearly, they have a lot more ground to cover on this subject, and though he doesn't want to spoil their day today by getting too deep into it, he doesn't want to let it go completely. 

He sighs, taking a breath as he gathers his thoughts. Trying to keep things light, he chuckles as he responds. "First of all, I doubt very much that he thinks that. I certainly didn't get any sense that he disapproved. In fact, I thought he seemed happy for us. And it's very likely he already knows about the divorce. I mean, Google my name, and the first 20 articles that come up are about my 'amicable' divorce, or our joint divorce statement which makes clear it was a mutual decision and there were no third parties involved.

"And besides, you were the one who said you didn't want to make him uncomfortable. Don't you think that giving him a detailed account of our relationship might have been just a bit beyond the range of comfort for him?"

Tim grimaces, nodding. "Yeah, of course, you're right."

"And what if he _does_ think that we're having an affair? Is that a problem for you? Because I guaran-fucking-tee you that there will be a shit ton of people who will not approve of our relationship, and there will be hate and negativity we'll have to deal with, whether I'm cheating or not."

"Yeah, no, I know that." He looks a bit sheepish now. "It's just something that popped into my head. I know there will be negative reactions, and as long as we don't let it affect our relationship, I can deal with it...honestly. It's just...this was the first time someone saw us 'together,' and I'm just so happy, and I wasn't really ready to think about the negative yet, you know?" 

He reaches out and gently strokes Tim's cheek. "Yeah, I know, T. I completely get that. It's only natural to want people to see how happy we are, and you're allowed to take some time to figure out how you're going to cope with those who aren't willing to do that."

"I'll get there, I promise, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to start our day off on a downer. " 

Armie shakes his head. "Tim, don't be sorry...it's fine. We need to talk about all of this stuff when it comes up. And, for what it's worth, I wanted him to understand too, and I honestly didn't get any negative vibes from him at all. It was such a perfect evening."

"It really was." He smiles as he gestures at his plate with his fork. "And speaking of perfect...this omelette is _so_ fucking good. I could really get used to you spoiling me." 

He laughs as Tim shoves another forkful into his mouth. The remainder of their breakfast conversation is casual and low-key. 

"Oh, man. That was delicious." Tim has practically licked his plate clean. Thank you." He reaches for Armie's plate and stacks everything carefully onto the tray. Once he's set it all on the floor, Armie tugs him down so that they are facing each other in what Armie has already come to think of as their 'pillow talk' position. 

He has something he wants to say, and this is the perfect time, but before he can begin, Tim scoots closer, leaning in to trail kisses along Armie's neck, clearly doing his best to get something started. 

Armie closes his eyes, allowing himself to be temporarily distracted, relishing the intense sensations Tim is stirring in him. If he let's this continue, he'll be gone, so he forces himself to speak. "Babe, as pleasant as this is, there's something I wanna to discuss." 

Tim stops instantly, eyeing him uncertainly.

He laughs as he kisses Tim quickly. "It's nothing bad, you goose. It's just something I've been thinking about. Something I'd like to offer up as a possibility for our next round of lovemaking later this morning." 

Tim visibly relaxes and raises his eyebrows. "Well, now you've got my attention." Reaching out, he casually cards his fingers through Armie's hair. "And what might this offer be?" 

Armie leans in, nuzzling Tim's ear with his nose before he whispers, "I'd very much like for you to fuck me."

Surprise registers on Tim's face, before his expression morphs into something more akin to desire and arousal, which is what Armie had been hoping for. But there's also an undertone of concern. "Are you sure? You're not just doing this for me?" 

He smiles, leaning in again to drop a kiss to Tim's forehead. "Very sure. I want to know what it feels like to have you inside me, and I want us to connect and be intimate in every way possible. Are you okay with that?"

Tim grabs Armie's jaw, squeezing. "What the fuck do _you_ think?" He crashes their lips together, the kiss intense and sloppy. When he finally pulls back, he grins at Armie. "I think you should go shower... _now._ And once I get this stuff cleaned up, I'll join you."

Armie drops another quick kiss before he moves to get out of bed. "Don't be too long."

Tim laughs. "Trust me, I won't. But if you hear the sound of breaking glass, don't be alarmed. It will just be all of these dishes getting chucked into the garbage. Much faster than washing." 

Armie, not sure if he's serious of not, gives him a startled look as Tim picks up the tray, moving towards the kitchen. 

Tim throws a laugh over his shoulder. "Kidding. I'm kidding. I'll clean up properly and be there soon."

 

****

*********

"I want this to be perfect and special for you, so I'd like to take the lead here, if you'll let me." Tim gently shoves him onto his back, straddling him and leaning down to offer a quick kiss. "You gave me the most incredible first experience, and I want to do the same for you, so as much as I suspect you get off on being in charge, humor me this time, and let me take care of you."

He can't help but smile. They know each other so well. He does usually feel a need to be dominant, but they always seem to be in perfect sync, and now is no exception. He'd actually hoped that Tim would take charge this time. He throws his arms up above his head in submission. "I'm all yours, my love. Tell me how and where you want me, and if you need me to do anything."

Tim grins back and nods. "I'll keep you posted, but all you'll really be required to do is to let yourself relax, and be open, no pun intended, to the pleasure of the experience. I'll make it good for you, I promise." 

And, _fuck,_ if he's not true to his word. Armie loses all track of time as Tim proceeds, without hesitation or even a falter, to take total control, awakening in Armie a desire for these surprising, new physical sensations that are so fucking intense and erotic. Tim's every whispered word and tender touch seem calculated to heighten the physical experience, and his deep kisses and intimate caresses are perfectly timed and reverently offered.

He surrenders completely, lost in the experience, giving himself heart and soul to Tim in a way he never imagined he could ever give himself to anyone. It's terrifying, but at the same time, life-altering. He's suddenly aware that he's grinning like an idiot, and Tim smiles back as he moves his fingers deep inside Armie, triggering yet another round of overwhelming feelings and sensations.

"You okay?" 

He glances up to see Tim studying his face with a concerned gaze.

He grins happily. "Me okay."

Tim smirks back at him. "All right then, mon amour, are you ready for the main event?"

"Fuck, yeah."

"Okay...try not to tense. Trust me, it feels amazing when you just relax and let it happen." 

He nods again, willing himself to let go of everything else and focus on these unfamiliar carnal sensations. He feels the head of Tim's cock breach him, and in spite of the warning, he can feel himself tensing up. Tim had prepped him well, and there's no real pain, but it's such a foreign feeling. Armie closes his eyes, willing himself to consciously relax his muscles.

He takes a couple of deep breaths. "Okay, I'm good, keep going." Their communication is mostly silent after that, but Tim is masterfully reading his every reaction. When he seems sure that Armie is ready, he pushes in a bit more, repeating the process until he's balls deep. 

Armie sucks in a breath. There's certainly some discomfort, but the feeling is unlike anything he's experienced, and it's mind-blowing and extraordinary, and he definitely wants more. He silently encourages Tim to move, which he does, carefully...slowly at first, but picking up the pace when Armie lets him know he's good.

The first time Tim hits his prostate, he nearly jumps out of his skin, the feeling is so surreal and intense. _Fuck!_ "Jesus, do that again."

Tim grins, changing his angle a bit, thrusting again, harder this time.

_Jesus fucking Christ!_

He had felt so deeply connected to Tim when their positions had been reversed, but this....this feels like an almost spiritual joining, and by the time they both come, Armie is convinced that sex as he has always known it, has been forever altered. He will definitely be encouraging swapping positions on a regular basis from here on out, thrilled to discover that he likes 'bottoming' as well as 'topping.'

Tim has collapsed on the bed beside him, trembling slightly, his breaths coming in ragged bursts, but he definitely has a 'cat who got the cream' look on his face. Armie suddenly feels an uncontrollable laugh forcing its way out at his accidental phrasing. Fuck, yeah, he definitely got the cream. 

Tim throws him a puzzled 'what?' look, and he musters enough strength to shake his head, leaning over lazily to drop a kiss to Tim's shoulder. "Nothin'."

He flops back down, running his hands over his face. "Jesus, T., that was fucking amazing."

Tim chuckles. "Or maybe it was amazing fucking?"

He laughs in return. "No question. It was definitely that." Feeling like he can finally manage it, he rolls towards Tim, intending to show him just how grateful he is, but he's halted halfway there by a leg cramp.

"Ow! Fuck." He reaches down to rub the knot out of his leg while Tim sits up, looking worried.

"Are you okay?"

The pain has mostly subsided now. "Yeah, apparently my body is rebelling from being asked to contort in such strange ways. Unlike you, I'm not a human pretzel."

He gets a snort in reply. "I'm sorry. We'll try a different position next time. That is...if you want there to be a next time."

He resumes his journey to Tim, successful this time. Leaning over him, gently brushing Tim's sweat-damp curls from his forehead, he speaks sincerely. "Oh, I _definitely_ want more of that. I'm still processing the feelings, but to say that I enjoyed it would be a monumental understatement. Thank you for the care you took and for making that a life-changing experience."

Tim appears a bit overwhelmed. "Armz, trust me, it was my pleasure. It was beyond incredible from my side too, and thank you for letting me return the favor. You did exactly the same for me yesterday. I'm glad that we both enjoy it both ways. More variety...more pleasure."

Some time is lost as they share a number of sweet and unhurried kisses before Tim abruptly pulls back. 

"Hey, I just had a thought. I know the perfect thing to help with those sore muscles...including the major one I violated. How about a nice, steamy, hot whirlpool bath?"

"Mmm...yeah, sounds perfect."

"Okay." Tim drops another quick kiss before he climbs out of the bed. "Don't move until I call you."

A few minutes later, Tim pops his head out of the door of the bathroom, wisps of steam following him. Armie can hear the water running as Tim tosses a warm, moist towel at him before holding out two bottles. "So I've got this aromatherapy stuff Pauline gave me for Christmas last year. Do we want 'Joyous Bergamot' or "Rejuvenating Rosemary Citrus?"

Armie lets out a hearty laugh as he wipes himself down. "Have I ever told you how much I love your sister? She's scary and yet very cool. And why don't you just surprise me?" 

Tim answers his laugh. "Right. Yeah, well, Pauline is a subject for another day, and maybe I'll use a bit of both? That way we can be joyous _and_ rejuvenated."

 

****

*********

"We haven't really talked about your play and what your schedule for the evening is. You got me a ticket for tonight, right?"

Armie is leaning back against one side of the tub, Tim the other. The steaming hot, bubbling water feels incredible on his sore muscles and ass. 

"Yeah, it's an aisle seat in the center section about halfway back, so it's got a good view of the whole stage, but you have an easy in and out."

"That sounds perfect. What time do you need to be there?"

It's a 7 o'clock show on Tuesday, so I try to get there around 6, and I usually grab something light to eat on the way, maybe do more of a dinner after. Depends on the night." 

"Okay. So, I've never been around 'Theater Tim.' Obviously, you've got a routine. Would you prefer that I just show up for the show and let you have your time before?"

"What? No way! I want you to come with me. We've worked together, and you know I don't usually get too into my head. I like to chill with my music for a while and do a few breathing exercises, but I'm not big into rituals. I really want you there."

Armie had made the offer, hoping that Tim would protest, and he lets out a relieved sigh. "Good. Because I really want to be there too. I just didn't want to get in your way."

Tim sloshes his way over to Armie, kneeling between his legs. He reaches out, gently brushing his fingers against Armie's cheek. "As if you ever could." The kiss Tim initiates is soft and slow, and he grins as he pulls back. "Besides," he teases as he waggles his eyebrows, "I may just need a pre-show blow job in my dressing room to take the edge off."

That catches Armie off guard and a surprised laugh bubbles up. "Oh, you might, huh?"

"Mmm." Another kiss. "It's scientifically proven the sex relieves stress." And another. "I mean, I read it somewhere, so it must be true, right?" One more. "Anyway, I might need that, so yeah, I want you there." 

"Well, I'm more than happy to oblige, but you better not be thinking of making _that_ particular form of stress relief a routine since I won't be here to provide it, and I'm not at all keen on you recruiting someone else to perform the service."

Tim's expression is serious. "No one but you...ever." Hearing those words spoken with such intensity makes Armie's breath catch. One last kiss and a big grin before Tim turns around and settles between Armie's legs, leaning back against his chest. Armie wraps his arms around him and kisses his damp curls.

Apparently, a silent soak is not on the agenda. "So, I've been doing some reading about your guy, Joseph Campbell."

"Yeah?" Armie picks up the soap and begins sudsing Tim's chest.

"Man, he was really into a lot of different stuff."

Armie smiles. "He was, yeah."

"Mythology, religion, literature, art, philosophy...and he had some pretty deep thoughts on all of it. And, fuck, I had no idea that Campbell was such a huge influence on the Star Wars story, and that George Lucas considered him to be his Yoda."

He tightens his arms around Tim, kissing the back of his head. When he doesn't answer right away, Tim turns to face him, a concerned look on his face. "What?"

Instead of responding, he captures Tim's lips in a quick kiss. 'I love that you took the time to follow up on something that mattered to me."

"Well, I figured if it was important to you, there was a good reason, and now I get it. Man, even Heraclitus would have been impressed with this guy."

That makes Armie laugh. "Now there's something I hadn't thought about, but you're absolutely right. I'm sure they would have had some fascinating philosophical discussions."

"He's known for a bunch of famous and profound quotes, but besides the 'Life that is waiting for us' one, there's another one that totally works for us." 

"Which one are you thinking of?" Armie is pretty sure he knows where Tim's going.

"Fuck, it's so perfect. I'm surprised you haven't mentioned it yet."

Armie smiles as he leans down and whispers in Tim's ear. "'Love is a friendship set to music.'"

Tim turns in excitement, kissing Armie with a big grin on his face. "See! It's perfect, isn't it? I mean, music is such a big thing for both of us." 

"Yeah, I was kinda waiting to mention that one until we got to this point."

"So I think we need to start curating our playlist."

"You mean there should be actual songs?"

Tim gives him a withering look. "Well, yeah. Why would we not have actual songs? We both love music, and I know we've each got our own eclectic tastes, but we have a lot of similar musical interests too, and there are a lot that are 'our' songs already." 

He moves out of Armie's embrace, reaching for his phone which is controlling the music currently playing over the speakers in the bathroom. They've been listening to one of Tim's mellow playlists, but he stops that and takes some time scrolling and typing, until Armie gets impatient. "What the hell are you doing?"

He turns to Armie with a grin on his face. "I'm making a new playlist. I'm calling it, 'The Soundtrack of Our Love.' He continues to jab at his phone for a few more minutes before smiling and setting it down. "There. Just a few to get us started, and we'll keep adding to it. He kisses Armie before settling back against his chest.

As the first song starts, Armie smiles wistfully, pulling Tim in tighter against him. _Oh, to see without my eyes, The first time that you kissed me..._

Resting his chin on the top of Tim's head, he speaks softly. "I would have been shocked and more than a little pissed if you'd chosen anything else to start with. Every fucking time I hear this, I'm right back in Crema with you." 

Tim nods, wrapping his arms tightly around Armie's across his chest. "Yeah, this will always be our song. It had to be number one on our playlist." 

The water grows cold as they listen through the handful of songs Tim's selected, including 'Lady, Lady, Lady,' the Bach Capriccio, and Frank Ocean's 'Thinkin Bout You.' Since they're now both chilled, it makes perfect sense that they end up back in bed, and the rest of the day is spent dividing their time between bedroom activity and watching mindless TV while snuggling on the couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're coming to the end here! Once again, thanks to all of you who read, kudo, and comment. It really means the world. ❤️


End file.
